Sheldon Swifties LIX: The X-Advisers
by regertz
Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later. (I think I may play out this one a bit...I like it)
1. Chapter 1

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Apartment of Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hofstadter…

An eager Leonard and a rather grim Sheldon at dinner with their usual suspects…Dr. Rajesh Koothrapali, his newly returned and latest addition to the group girlfriend Lucy, Howard Wolowitz and Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz, Sheldon's and Leonard's respective significant others, Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler and Penny.

"I cannot believe Dr. Xavier Francis is actually coming to Cal Tech…" Leonard beamed. "You know he was my inspiration in grad school."

"So you've been telling us…Ad infinitum." Sheldon frowned.

"Well so what if I have…" Leonard shrugged, waving him off… "Dr. Francis was an…"

"Inspiration?" Howard, smile to Bernadette who shushed him.

"I meant to say…Excellent guide to the universe that is experimental physics." Leonard, archly.

"Oh, please…" Sheldon rolled eyes… "More like the kids' pool."

Leonard, refusing to be downed by Sheldon's moroseness…Warming to his theme as he spoke. "Dr. Francis taught me everything I know about experimental physics."

"Wonderful as it is that we know who to blame…" Sheldon cut in…

"I can't believe you're not excited, Sheldon." Leonard shook head. "Dr. Stein is coming too. Your old adviser…The man who made you…" pause to mutual grins among the guys. "…what you are today."

"What?" Penny eyed the males who but for Sheldon were clearly enjoying the joke…Expectant smile.

"Oh, yes…" Sheldon glared. "The usual childish play on his name. Francis N. Stein…"

"Your adviser was Dr. Frank N. Stein?" Penny blinked, chuckling…

"I didn't choose him…" Sheldon fumed. "I didn't need an adviser but the university, in its not-so-infinite wisdom decided to foist him on me. And what a choice…"

"I dunno Sheldon…" Leonard, repressing grin… "Dr. Stein was always a great guy…He certainly…Lit up a room."

Raj and Howard chuckling as Bernadette frowned and Amy glared…

"What?" Bernadette… "I don't get it."

"Reference to lightning…Frankenstein…Like in the movies…" Howard tried.

"I never watched those movies. They didn't scare me like the other kids…I made scarier things in the micro lab at school, so I just got bored." Bernadette noted.

"I'm sure this Dr. Stein was more to you that some silly monster movie joke, Sheldon." Amy noted… "And why didn't you tell me all about him before? Some way to share…" frown. "I claim a minor infringement of the relationship agreement, clause six, paragraph three…And demand the usual retribution." She pursed lips.

"Seems you've really been boning up on the relationship agreement these days, Amy." Howard…Rolling eyes to Bernadatte's frown.

Not bad…Penny eyed the couple as Sheldon made lip contact…

He's actually get the knack…

"Yes…" Sheldon, breaking contact…Off-hand tone… "I do commend Amy for her due diligence."

"Thank you." Amy, nodding. "But if you will check your watch you infringed three seconds of the retribution in responding to Howard."

"Oh…" he glanced at watch… "Pon my soul you're right…The usual retribution…?" a note of eagerness…

"Oh, yes…" Amy beamed… Lip locked resumed.

That's our boy, Penny beamed to Leonard who grinned back.

"Oh, just get a room, will you…?" Raj glared.

"You know you two really don't need to fake this retribution stuff if you just wanna make out…" Bernadette sighed as Amy and Sheldon remained locked, embracing…

"Fascinating…" Howard eyed them…Shaking head…

"How long can they…?" Bernadette, a note of worry…

Sudden pop of release…

"What?" Amy, vaguely… "What were we saying?" Sheldon looking equally stunned…

C'mon guys…We agreed…Penny, stern glance round…We're to savor and delight in the miracle not mock it.

Silent reluctant mutual agreement…

"I was saying…You can't blame him, Amy…" Howard grinned. "Who'd want to be known as Frank N. Stein's monster?"

"And God, he was…" Leonard chuckled…

"I thought you didn't meet Sheldon till you moved in here?" Penny, puzzled.

"It's been all over the Internet…" Howard explained. "And mostly in the form of Frank Stein's own blog…The full account of two years with the young Sheldon Cooper. I think he called the first year 'God, What Have I Done?!' and the second 'Lord, How Could I Have Created It?'. Of course, I've done what I could to promote it over the years."

"Two years?" Amy eyed Sheldon…

"Two separate doctorates…" he shrugged. "So I liked school…Sue me."

"Well…He must have been inspiring…" Amy, cautiously… "I know my adviser was inspiring…"

"Oh, he was an inspiration all right…To some of us…" Howard, nostalgically.

"She was your grandmother…" Sheldon frowned. "Of course your Meemaw would inspire. I would've been inspired if my Meemaw had chosen to be a theoretical physicist and advised me."

"You didn't like him?" Bernadette, curious.

"Oh…He was always telling me to get out of the lab and get more out of life…'You're thirteen years old, kid. Get a life, Sheldon'…He'd say.

"And you never did…" Howard, grinning… "Well, at least your Frankenstein tried to help his creation…" shrug…

Amy, narrow glare…

Just what was that about never getting a life, bucko…?

"He was the wild guy of Physics, I remember…" Leonard nodded. "A legend…"

"Yeah? What'd he do, make sparks in the lab?" Penny grinned.

"Oh…Yeah…" Howard smiled. "And not just in the lab…"

"He had quite the rep…" Leonard nodded. "He and Dr. Francis were still pals then…He used to show up on Fridays and on Saturday I'd get an email telling me to send our week's experimental results on to Vegas or Bangkok…And I'd get pics of them…From every bar and club from here to some place in Siberia, and always with girls."

"Girls?" Penny eyed him. "They'd date girls from the university?"

"I don't know about Dr. Francis…" Howard noted, sly smile… "But 'the Creator' would hit on anything female from anywhere. And the way he got that nickname…"

"Fine. We can guess." Bernadette, brittlely.

"All I know is Sheldon's adviser sure played a major role in making Science attractive to a number of eager young men, including me." Howard grinned.

"You know he even forced me to date his daughter…?" Sheldon sighed.

"Say what?" Amy stared as the others blinked…Involuntary narrowing of eyes…

Well…A harmless fling in the wild days of thirteen…And to please his adviser…

After all, I suppose I do have Prince Faisal my scientific sugar daddy in my own past…

"Oh, some silly bespectacled four-eyed plain Jane with nerdy clothes and a few ticks and strange quirks, making her a social pariah?" she noted, eagerly. Penny staring…

Hmmn…

"No…That might have been bearable…" Sheldon sighed. "In fact she looked rather like that girl Howard always used to go on about…From the new Battlestar Galatica? Katie…What was the name?"

"Don't tell me…" Howard blanched.

"Well…Fine, but I feel I should give you one clue…The character nearly always wore a flight suit."

"His daughter? But she's the one who looks a little…A lot…Like…" Howard gasping…

"Actually she was Ms. Sackoff's spitting image and still is." Sheldon noted. "It's ok, I knew one of us was sure to get it."

"Why?" Bernadette, glaring at her suddenly silent husband… "Looking to trade up?"

"Wait…" Leonard looked at Howard… "You dated Susan Stein?"

"When he was 13, Leonard…" Penny, anxious glance increasingly agitated Amyward… "How old was she again?"

"Oh, thirteen…My age."

"Yes…But…" Leonard…

"Susan Stein…" Howard sighed. "I might have known."

"The physicist of porn…" Rajesh, equally deep sigh…

"Yeah…" Leonard, involuntarily…

"What?!" Amy, Penny, Bernadette….An anxious Lucy merely staring…

"Oh, right…She did have a rather scandalous career for a while…" Sheldon nodded. "I remember 'cause she sent me a picture of her that my mom burned publicly at her church when I showed it to Missy when she said she didn't believe I'd ever dated a girl."

"The what of what?" Amy, fuming now…

"She had a wild streak, kinda like her father, only more so…" Leonard shrugged. "She went into physics like him but had a side career for a while...Uh, in the arts. See…" he turned to Penny, eagerly. "Isn't it nice that it's possible to crossover careers in the sciences and…"

"Porn, Leonard?" Penny glared. "Are you comparing what I do…To porn?"

"physics…Small p…Her theoretical work makes Leonard's stuff look relevant." Sheldon, smugly. "However I think Leonard means she was a success in the arts at least…"

"Sheldon…" Amy, Leonard as Penny fumed.

"It has been said she's never completely given up that side career…" Howard noted. "After all, she was featured in that porn version of Galactica a few years ago. Katie gave her a whole new fan base…"

"Right, 'Starbuckin', I remember…" Raj sighed.

"What?!" Lucy, finding voice…

"And forever may your former vile self be shamed for showing it to me, Howard." He lamely concluded, anxiously placating glance at Lucy's grim, set face.

"Oh, please, you downloaded it six months ago and emailed me about it." Howard glared.

"All I'll say is…There damned well better not be a copy on our computer at home, Howard." Bernadette, grimly.

"I'm the only Katie Sackoff fantasy stand-in for you…" she noted, firmly.

"And that's about all I ever want to know about Howard and Bernadette's love life, thank you…" Penny noted to Leonard, grimacing.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Bernadette eyed Penny, startling her. "A little sexual fantasy is perfectly normal and healthy. I indulge Howard a little and he…"

"Great…I get the picture…" Penny put up a hand.

God…I was just an innocent, if earthy, fun-loving girl from Nebraska before I came to this den of wickedness that is Pasadena…She eyed Leonard.

Ok, maybe an innocent, slightly slutty, very earthy, very fun-loving….

"Do you still have that picture of her, Sheldon?" Leonard asked.

"Picture?" Amy frowned…

Of a physics porno space princess…?

"You mean the one she sent me last year, with the reminder that she intended to keep her promise to marry me? Sure, in my special box…" Sheldon, innocently.

"Sheldon?! You have pictures of this woman?...In a special box?...And what do you mean, marry you?!" Amy stared.

"She used to send me pictures every so often…I put them in my keepsakes box with my letters from Elizabeth Plimpton and that threatening letter from Ramona after I refused her coauthor credit and she said if I ever got a pet she'd kill it…And copies of all my restraining orders…"

Elizabeth Plimpton…Mutual sigh from the other males…

"You have a keepsakes box…And you never showed it to me? Sheldon?" Amy frowned. "Get your notary stamp…Now!"

He looked…Blinking…

"You heard me." Grim tone.

He rose and went to his room, muttering as Amy, frowning, pulled out a piece of paper and began writing.

"Nice job of training there, ma'am…" Howard joked.

"You're not in the clear yet, bucko…" Bernadette frowned. "Not till I've done a full scan of your computer at home…And I think I'll want to see the office computer as well."

Sheldon returned with notary stamp…

"Sign this and notarize…" Amy thrust her sheet at him…

"Another addendum to the Relationship Agreement?" he glanced at the sheet. "I think I should be able to…"

"Shut up, sign, and stamp." Grim tone.

The others staring as he did so, sheepishly…Amy taking up sheet.

"Ok…According to the Relationship Agreement Addendum #12, the party of the second part, known herein as 'the girlfriend' has full rights of access to any and all items stored by the party of the first part, known herein as 'the boyfriend' in the so-named 'special box'." Amy noted firmly. "Get me the 'special box'."

"But…?"

"Are you arguing with the Relationship Agreement?" stern look.

"No…Ma'am…" sigh. "I'll get it."

All staring…

"Speaking of Frankenstein monsters…" Raj hissed to Howard, eyeing Amy's set face.

"We just created the bomb with our Sheldonian dating profile, we didn't drop it…" he replied.

Sheldon, returned, bearing box…Which he reluctantly handed to Amy.

All coming over…

"Hey." Amy glared. "A little respect for my honey's privacy here?"

"Is that?" Penny glanced at the photo Amy had snatched and raised.

"That is…" Howard beamed. "And in her Katie flight suit…"

"'To Sheldon…My fiancée…Suzie XXXXoooS and a whole lot more…' Sheldon?" Amy, striken.

"Amy, I'm sure Susan was just kidding…" Leonard, urgently. "Right, Sheldon? Just a kid's game."

"Well, she did say I was the only man she'd ever marry…" Sheldon shrugged.

"If that upsets you, you probably don't want to read my first letters from Elizabeth…" he noted to a stunned Amy.

"What's Sir Ian McKellan doing with her there?" Penny stared. "Don't tell me she really was an actress too?"

"Oh, no that's Dr. Stein, her dad." Leonard noted. "He did always look like Gandolf didn't he?"

"Oh, come on…" he eyed her puzzled…Who?...Stare. "We saw 'Lord of the Rings' three times together."


	2. Chapter 2

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part II…

"I've seen the world…Done it all…Had my cake now…" the tall singer in sequined gown at the back of the hall began her ballad, her band playing as the crowd swirled round…

Cal Tech…Department of Physics reception for distinguished visiting professors Dr. Francis N. Stein and Dr. Xavier Francis…

Two lions of Physics inches away from Nobels…

Indeed, some would say from the same Nobel…

Penny in black gown, hair plied, rather delighted by Leonard's eagerness…

"Diamonds, brilliant…And Bel Air now. Hot summer nights, mid July. When you and I were forever wild…The crazy days, city lights…When you would play with me like a child…" the singer continued.

Pleased to have finally gotten him into a suit other than corduroy, beaming at him in his rather spiffy rented tux…Though he had actually been quite willing having explained that the reception would have a certain old Hollywood style theme…

And perhaps, despite having been to a couple of departmental affairs, a bit subdued and nervous...Surprised herself to find herself so…

"Will you still love me? When I'm no longer young and beautiful?" the song's question catching her…

I really want to make a good impression on this guy my Leonard admires so much…

My God, for the first time…I feel like Penny Hofstadter, supportin' my little hobbity physicist at his job.

Scared to death I'll come off as the dumb blonde bovine…As my dear friend Sheldon so charmingly puts it…From Nebraska.

I shoulda worn my "smart" glasses…She confides to Howard as Leonard leaves her for a moment to get drinks and say hello to President Siebert. Howard looking rather well in his own tux and Bernadette positively radiant in gown…Clearly pleased to have a chance to deck out a bit for once.

"Trust me…You have all you need to impress any male in this room." Howard smiled. "Right, Bernie?"

She looking at him…Seeing nothing but a real desire to bolster her…Bernadette smiling reassuringly as well…

"Thanks, guys." She beamed. Listening to the singer at the front of the hall…

Geesh…She and the band are actually good…She noting to Bernadette. "Great in fact…I love that 40s style."

"They were actually Leonard's choice. He asked Gablehauser to let him arrange the band." Howard nodded. "Postmodern Jukebox…He figured they couldn't go wrong with 40s style vintage versions on modern music. One way or the other they have to click with our special guests."

"So that's why he said to dress a bit old-style Hollywood…" she beamed. "He made a terrific choice. They're great…Hey's there's Sheldon! Sheldon!" she waved. "Amy got him in the good suit somehow…" she noted to Bernadette… "Oh my God…" she blinked. Bernadette staring as well…

"Whoa…" Howard blinked…

As, on Sheldon's arm, looking a bit nervous, Amy Farrah Fowler in vintage red and black gown, hair styled to a high side curl in 40s style…High heels. Craning to look for their friends while eagerly glancing over at the band…

Ah…Leonard was not playing a practical joke as did my fellow Neurobiology grad students at our second year mixer when they told me a) I was invited and b) the theme was to go as 18th century scientists attempting to hide from the French Revolution's tribuneral.

Sheldon looking like a cross between a trapped animal…And a trapped animal with his hand caught in a trap…

"Will you still love me when I got nothing but my aching soul?"

Amy staring over…Penny waving eagerly…Amy and Sheldon came over, she stepping carefully in her unfamiliar heels.

"Amy?! You look fantastic…!" Penny gushed, taking her hand…

"Amy…So lovely…" Bernadette agreed, beaming…

"I know you will, I know you will I know that you will…Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?" the song continued…

"Madam…" Howard bowed to her. "Were I as I once was and not enthralled by the goddess on my arm here…May I?" he grinned to Bernadette who gave mock frown then nodded…You may.

"…Wouldst indeed be hitting upon thee, fair Amy."

Sheldon frowning…

"I know…Not for me…" Howard put up a hand, smiling… "Just making sure you know you're a lucky so-and-so, Cooper."

"Doesn't Sheldon look nice?" Amy asked… "I got him to get new shoes to go with the suit. They make the outfit, don't you think?"

"I think you look tremendous." Penny beamed…Looking a bit for the absent Leonard…And for the guests of honor not yet arrived, apparently…

"Will you still love me? When I'm no longer young and beautiful?"

"But the shoes do make the outfit, don't they?" Amy noted, a bit anxiously. Staring round the room as well…

"Where's Leonard?" Sheldon looked round. "I hope he didn't drag me out here to leave me to handle all the formalities."

"Trust me, Sheldon…" Howard noted. "Neither he nor President Siebert would leave you to handle the formalities."

"Amy looks beautiful, Sheldon. Did you tell her that?" Penny eyed him.

Amy, shy smile…Shyer nod…

"Several times coming over…" she beamed at Sheldon…

"Damned about time." Bernadette nodded firmly.

"I'm not going to have to fight anyone, am I?" he sighed. "She being the most beautiful female in the hall tonight…"

Penny…Bernadette…Blinking…

"I know you will, I know you will…I know that you will…Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?"

"What? It is true…" he shrugged. "And all to deflect me from Dr. Susan Stein…Though hardly necessary…"

"Sheldon…" Penny hissed. "She's dressed up for you."

"Naturally…As I am for her…But…"

"There's Raj…" Howard noted. "I'll go get him…" He headed over to the main entrance where Rajesh in suit was entering…Turning back as if to urge someone…

"I see Lucy…He actually managed to get her to come." Bernadette smiled. "That's so neat. She looks great."

Lucy in dress, looking about like Sheldon as to the trapped animal pose…But gamely allowing Raj to lead her along.

"Poor thing looks scared to death…I think I'd better go over and help Raj bring her in…" she noted to the others, moving to join Raj and Howard by Lucy…

"Will you still love me? When I got nothing but my aching soul?"

"Hey guys…" Leonard had returned, bearing two drinks…One of which he passed over to Penny, who rather hurriedly gulped.

"Thanks…" Amy, taking the other from his hand before he could give a befuddled… Hmmn? Downing it in a gulp…

"Little case of the jitters here…" Penny noted.

"Not you, I hope…?" he stared.

"Oh, no…Me? Fine…" solemn nod…

"Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful? Will you still love me when I'm not young and beautiful?" croon…

"But Sheldon…" Penny eyed him. "I hope you're serious about telling Amy she has nothing…"

"Sheldon's been very reassuring…" Amy quickly insisted before he could protest…

"Sheldon? Reassuring?" Leonard, giving sidelong glance at a frowning…What?...Sheldon…As Howard, Bernadette, Raj, and a somewhat trembling but resolute Lucy joined them.

"Hey, guys…" Raj smiled. "Uh, could we maybe back off a bit…Out of the crowd a little? I'm afraid my mutism might kick up with all these people…" solemn tone.

"Good idea…" You sweet thing you…Penny grinned at him…

"Yeah, it's a bit crowded here…" Leonard agreed…All stepped toward a side wall with Raj in lead, taking Lucy by the hand to a seat.

"What did you mean with that questioning tone, Leonard?" Sheldon frowned. "I'm always reassuring people when their foibles and follies are exposed for all to see."

Howard rolling eyes…

"Besides…She has no reason to worry…I've no interest in Susan Stein whatever her state of pornographic undress…" Sheldon noted.

Penny looking as nervous as Amy…

"Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?  
Will you still love me when I'm not young and beautiful?"

"Great band, isn't it? I'm so proud of you, Leonard…" Penny, a bit too blase…

"So they aren't here yet?" Amy asked.

"I think they're with Gablehauser in the hallway…" Leonard offered. "I saw him out there talking to his 'entourage'."

Bernadette chatting with the edgy Lucy, who seemed to be settling down to a reasonably stable condition. Raj gratefully eyeing Bernie as Howard turned to join them…

"So explain to me why the University brought that Captain Picard guy from Star Trek in tonight with your guys?" Penny asked.

"Ah, good eye…But that's Dr. Francis, not Jean-Luc Picard." Sheldon eyed the poster on easel at the entrance on which the faces of the distinguished guests could be seen.

"What?" Penny blinked at the poster… "Your old adviser looks like the guy from Star Trek?" she eyed Leonard…

"With an awful troupee…" Sheldon noted.

"I'll concede the troupee…" Leonard agreed. "But he always thought of himself as more the Ben Kingsley type. I'm going to try and get another drink, does any one…?"

"Keep it coming…" Amy nodded tersely.

"She's not going to get plastered and fight it out with Dr. Stein, I mean female Dr. Stein?…Like me with Wil Wheaton?" Sheldon hissed to Penny…

"Not if you treat her the way she deserves Dr. Cooper." Penny eyed him.

"I know you will, I know you will…I know that you will  
Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?  
Will you still love me when I'm no longer beautiful?  
Will you still love me when I'm not young and beautiful?"

Glance over where Leonard was pushing his way along to the refreshments table…


	3. Chapter 3

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part III…

The Cal Tech reception had moved into full swing as President Siebert entered the hall with one of the distinguished guests of the evening, Dr. Xavier Francis…

"Dr. Francis…" Leonard had caught up with his idol, Penny nervously keeping up…

Dr. Francis, in rather elegant yet less formal suit jacket and sweater vest…And, yeah, Penny noted…Either a rather bad rug or a poor job of hair plugs...Turned. Pausing at sight of the couple before him.

President Siebert rather relieved to find young Hofstadter minus his usual Cooperian millstone, not to mention having that rather attractive young lady again in his company.

Hmmn…

Well, if she is a paid escort, she's a fairly classy one…

And given Dr. Francis seems to be taking clear stock of the attractive girl…

"Sheldon?" Amy looked at him… "Aren't we going over to meet Leonard's old adviser?"

"Soon as I know where Dr. Stein is…" Sheldon frowned. "It's like him to try and sneak in on me."

Him…He said "him". And he did say the daughter had no charms for him…Amy told herself.

Even if she has Penny's luminous skin and her favorite outfit belongs to one of Sheldon's more cherished sci-fi characters.

"There he is…" Sheldon, narrow-look to the front entrance where Eric Gablehauser was just coming in, leading another figure… "Well…Lets go in…But slowly…"

Very slowly, Amy mentally agreed…There being no sign as yet of her own primary concern…

"There's Dr. Francis with Leonard and Siebert…" Raj noted to Howard, Bernadette, and Lucy…

"And the Creator has entered the building…" Howard looked to the front…

"I hope you won't call him that around other people…" Bernadette noted.

"As long as you never let him get within ten feet when I'm not firmly attached to your arm, fine." Howard agreed. She eyeing him…

"Yeah…That bad…" he nodded. "And yeah, doesn't matter if he is seventy-something…"

"His reputation does precede itself…" Raj nodded…

"Dr. Francis…This is Dr. Leonard Hofstadter…One of our chief experimental physicists." Siebert indicated Leonard. "He actually helped organize this reception, he's been quite eager to meet you tonight."

"Ah, a man after my own field…" Francis genially offered a hand. The majority of his attention however focusing clearly on Penny…

"Well, we know each other, Dr. Francis…" Leonard, a tad disappointed…

"Hofstadter? Leonard Hofstadter? You were my adviser for three years?"

"Ah, yes…Of course…" hearty tone. "Leonard Hofstadter, my finest pupil." Friendly beam…

"And you are?" he addressed Penny…

"Dr. Francis?" Gablehauser had come up, leading a tall, distinguished-looking white-haired man in formal suit, rather neatly if quirkily set off by a bright red tie… "Sorry we didn't have time to meet outside, I had to pick up our other guests…Eric Gablehauser…And of course you know, Dr. Stein."

Francis' genial expression fading at sight of Gablehauser's companion…Who grinned impishly at Francis…Then gave a rather pleased glance to Penny…

"Well, hello…" he moved to her… "Francis Stein…And you are…"

"Dr. Francis, our Chairman…" Leonard introduced Gablehauser while just catching Dr. Stein's immediate move to Penny…

Who for once seemed a bit flustered by the attention of the two most important males in the room…

"Penelope…I'm Dr. Hofstadter's fiancée…I'm an actress though, so please don't hit me with any tough science questions." Nervous smile.

Leonard blinking…

Fian…?

"I hope you remember me, I took your Honors Physics class my first year of grad school." Gablehauser smiled to Francis who repressed his glare at Stein to attend to the formalities…

"Eric Gablehauser, of course…My finest pupil…" Francis nodded, shaking hand.

"Terrible when the mind goes like that…" Stein, watching, noted to Penny… "Pity it can't be attributed to Alzheimer's…Something to drink, my dear…?" he halted a passing waiter bearing wine glasses on tray, offering her one which she nervously took. "What a fine band…Though did someone think us both a couple of ancient duffers from the World War II era?" grin… "Can't say for Xav there but as for me…"

"Well…Dr. Hofstadter wanted to do something a little classy…" Penny, quickly.

"And it's appreciated…Pardon my bad joke…It is a terrific band." Stein smiled.

"Are you muttering your usual nonsense, Stein?" Francis frowned, overhearing.

"Just complementing you on your amazing memory of students, Xav." Stein grinned, raising wine glass. "Now, my dear…" he turned back to Penny. "So you are an actress? You know my daughter Susan dabbled in acting…And I've known a few actresses myself over the years…" he led her off. Leonard staring after them…

Take one for the team, Hofstadter…You know the drill…Siebert eyeing him…

"Pity any poor sot who's coupled to that one now 'the Creator''s got his hook in her." Francis noted with shake of head to a hapless Leonard. "So, Leonard Hofstadter, yes…" smile… "I remember your mother made quite a name for herself in psychology and anthropology…And was nearly indicted for child abuse at that meeting of the APA when Maggie Horowitz-Fowler denounced her. A card was that Maggie." Grin. "Of course I do remember you, Leonard…But you've got to give an old hack a moment to place a name and face. We did some damned good work together back then." Sincere pump of hands to a very pleased Leonard…

Very pleased…On more than one level…

Though still unsure which had more stunned him…"The Creator"'s quick swoop or Penny's sudden crystallization of their status…

"Dr. Stein…" Sheldon, coolly…

"Dear God…It's alive…" Stein grinned at Sheldon… "Sheldon Lee Cooper, as I live and breathe…Why, hello?" he peered at Amy.

"Is that your sister? The sane fraternal twin who visited you…?"

"This is Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler, my girlfriend…" unmistakable arch if guarded look…

"Dr. Stein…" Amy, curt nod. "Hey, bestie…" she smiled to Penny.

Stein blinking…Slight shake of head…

"Really? You?" he eyed Sheldon…

Hah…First time out, I get the prettiest girl in the room…Score Cooper, 'Creator'…Sheldon firmly returned stare.

"I can't believe it…You know, my dear…" Stein smiled at Amy. "This fellow spent three years at university barely leaving his room. On at least two occasions I had to go over and make sure he wasn't dead."

"Thank you for checking on him. He's fine now. A true social whirler as well as a scientific genius." Amy insisted.

"The genius I buy…Never had doubts there…The 'whirler'…" Stein grinned. "Well…It is good to see you again, Cooper." He smiled at Sheldon. "I've followed your work with interest. Though I understand from Stephen Hawking you still can't handle basic arithmetic…"

Sheldon, dark look forming…

Damn that smirking Brit bastard lucky enough to have an android voice and a valid excuse to use a motor for mobility...I might have known he'd spread my humiliation far and wide…

"So you have a girlfriend…" Stein eyed Amy. "And a beautiful one to boot…I see we once again live in an age of miracles." sigh… "Well, my daughter will be disappointed…Oh, where are my manners?" he turned to Penny. "I see you know my friend Penny here…"

"Yes, she's my bestie…And taken…By Sheldon's best friend…"Amy noted. But ignoring Sheldon's increasing attempts to nudge her along…

"Sheldon…" she hissed… "Talking here…"

And not going…Not till I Goddamn well hear more about this "disappointment"…And gather more data on my nemesis…

"Dear God, Cooper…" Stein blinked at Sheldon… "A girlfriend?…And a 'best friend'?…Implying perhaps that you actually make human contact these days?"

Sheldon, slight frown to Amy…

We could've been safely away…

Still…A chance to finally show "the Creator" Sheldon Cooper has conquered new fields beyond his triumphs in Physics…

Namely, bagging the prettiest girl in the room…

"Actually I have many friends…At least…" Sheldon paused. "Six…Seven if we count Stuart…"

"Lucy…" Amy hissed.

"Well, she's on probation…Not fair to count her…" Sheldon shrugged.

"Well, I'm glad to hear it…Though shocked." Stein beamed. "Now, Amy…Dr. Fowler…" he took her arm…Eyeing her. "Are you by any chance a relative of Margaret Fowler-Horowitz?" he led her a few steps off…

"My grandmother…" Amy beamed…As Sheldon fumed…

Sheldon…Penny took his tensed arm.

Not the time or place for a judo chop…

"Looks like you're in luck, Leonard…" Dr. Francis was eyeing Stein and Amy… "Seems like that old lech Stein has found a new distraction…May I say your fiancée is a lovely girl."

"Thank you…" Leonard beamed. "Of course, it's not quite that far along…"

"It should be…Come now, Hofstadter…" mock stern look… "What was our motto back in the particle lab days?"

"Boldly go…" Leonard grinned.

"Indeed…And with a girl like that…Eminently justified action. So, is that fellow with the raven-haired beauty, Sheldon Cooper, Stein's ole basket case?"

"That's Sheldon…" nod. "Not quite the old basket case these days, thanks to the raven-haired beauty in no small part…" smile.

"She's lovely." Francis smiled. "Reminds me of ole Maggie Fowler…Lord, I had the biggest crush on her when I was just starting out at Princeton. Of course we all did…" he winked. "Everyone wanted to do the Wicked Witch's even sexier cousin…She was Margaret Hamilton, the actress' cousin, you know?"

"So Amy loves to tell us…Her granddaughter, actually…" Leonard noted.

Francis staring at him… "You don't say? She's Maggie's granddaughter?" He glanced over, frowning to Stein's glance his way…

Might have known Stein would catch the scent…


	4. Chapter 4

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

(Note: "Postmodern Jukebox" and their magnificent vintage versions of songs can be heard on You Tube.)

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part IV…

"So, you're a Neurobiologist…" Stein nodded to an Amy rather pleased to catch that capital N in his tone…Nervously balancing in her heels.

At last…A physicist…Er, Physicist…Who shows a little collegial regard for my field.

"Back at Princeton I did consider Biophysics, with a concentration on Neurophysiology…Mainly due to your grandmother...Her focus was Neurophysiology then, before she concentrated on Physiological Psychology for that Nobel." warm smile that she couldn't resist smiling back at… "Dear God she was quite a woman…As well as a marvelous scientist and teacher…I don't mind telling you mine was one of many hearts broken when she returned in fall semester 1960 with your grandfather in tow. So she is well, is she?"

"She's not bad for ninety-six, a bit of arthritis and colds…She still writes a bit, back at her farm in Maine." Amy, catching herself to glance back…Hmmn…What did I forget?

Oh…Sheldon…Gulp, looking back to see him with Penny…Glaring her way.

"Cooper seems almost human these days…" Stein grinned, looking over as well… "Are these developments all do to you, Dr. Praetorius? And please tell me you get that ancient film reference…?"

"I've seen 'Bride of Frankenstein'." She smiled, nodding.

"Thank God for Turner Classic Movies…Bridging the gap between generations. You know I speak to my students and now some of them know more about the films of my generation than I do?" Stein smiled. "I actually have to bone up to impress the young ladies…But then, apart from science-fiction I didn't watch many films as a boy. I was a bit like Cooper in that I generally isolated myself in those days from cultural stimuli…Believed that hogwash about the need to devote every faculty to the work. Thank goodness I got over that and learned to have a life."

"Really…?" Amy eyed his smile.

He does have a very charming… Uh…

"A bit, I say…No one is more than a bit like Sheldon Cooper." Wry smile…

"Well…Sheldon has expanded his interests…And I've found it is kind of nice to have a social life. We're quite the 'smart set', actually, these days…" attempt at sophisticated tone. No…Not at all the kind you find stuck in the lab every weekend as much for lack of things to do as real work.

"I'm very glad to hear it. And I'm sure this miracle is solely due…To you." Steady gaze…

Uh…

Uh…Oh…No, no…No…Oh… No oh! She insisted to herself.

"My God, Howard…Sheldon's looking almost healthy with rage…" Bernadette noted, from where she sat by Lucy, anxious look over to Sheldon, then to Howard, standing beside her, looking over as well…

Whoa…I think I even see a slight pinking in those cadaverously pale cheeks…

"Howard, you've got to do something before he kills someone! Namely one of our guests of honor…" Bernadette, aghast as Sheldon, still beside Penny, furiously eyed Dr. Stein as Stein happily chatted up Amy who seemed rather flattered by the attention, not to mention pleased at the numerous references to her grandmother, Dr. Margaret Fowler-Horowitz, once both instructor and object of desire for her companion.

"Bernie…" sigh. "If Penny can't hold him back…" he eyed her. Raj, standing by Lucy, nodding…

The both of us couldn't do so well as restraining bouncers…

"Ok…" she saw the wisdom of that … "But maybe you could distract him with your streetwise patter while she decks him unconscious and we carry him out to a safe place for the rest of the evening?"

Hmmn…Howard, pondering…Nod…

"Let me go!" Sheldon hissed to Penny… "I'm going to channel my dad and knock that effete British sidewinder of a so-called physicist back across the pond…That's the Atlantic Ocean, in case…"

"I know what it means, Sheldon…" she glared. "And I'm just standing on your foot."

"With those giant wooden shoe feet and leaden Nebraskan calves?…" he groaned.

Leonard!…She hissed, waving…

A lil' help here!

"I think Ms. Penny wants you, Leonard…" Dr. Francis noted to him, Leonard glancing over…

Hmmn…Oh, well…Something with Sheldon, as usual…

"Oh, she's ok…Anyway, I was wondering if you'd be willing to look over my latest data on the control of particle streams in semi-solids."

"Yes, I remember that last paper of yours…A fine piece of work." Francis nodded, rather eager. "I was actually hoping to talk to you about doing something further along those lines together during my time here…Forgive me for letting the prospect of encountering the mad doctor over there leaving me fogey." Wry grin…

"I see Luke Hofstadter has found his true father…" Howard grinned to Raj as they watched Leonard excitedly chattering to Dr. Francis. Francis seeming equally enthused…

"Howard…" Bernadette urged…

"Ok…" he put up a hand… "Distractive patter coming up…" he headed for Sheldon.

"Does he do that? Whatever you tell him?" Lucy asked, eyeing Howard. Raj eyeing Bernadette…

"He loves me." Bernadette, simply…Warm beam. "And don't you ever tell him but I'd do the same…If he needed me to…" She rose to follow Howard... Lucy nodding to Raj a moment later to his beam, both moving to follow as well...

"Maybe I'd better rejoin Sheldon…" Amy, another worried glance Sheldonward…

Sheldon, by dint of intense narrowed glare, now clearly contemplating mind-blowing possibilities ala scanner movies…Penny now trying to hold his hand while appearing nonchalant…

"Sheldon, calm down…" she tried.

"Leggo, you big bully…" he hissed, twisting desperately. "Amy refused to say anything against her bestie but Bernadette told us you were a bully in high school."

"Reformed but I could revert in your case…" she glared… "Now behave …"

"I think he's getting upset…" Amy noted, increasing anxiety…

"My dear…" Stein airily waved a hand...Lowering voice to confidential whisper… "I think you should let your Othello feel a few pangs...It's good for the relationship…He may have changed in some ways but I'm sure I'm not far from the mark to suggest he's generally not the most attentive of mates…?"

"Oh, Sheldon is very…" she gulped feeling the clasping of her hand.

"Come…Suppose we let Sheldon stew just a little in his own juices.…It's good for him as well…" shrewd grin… "While you tell me more of my ole Maggie…"

"He's…Whispering…" Sheldon, trembling with shocked rage…Turning to grab a drink from the tray of a passing waiter and gulping half of it down…

"I'm sure he's just…Sheldon?" Penny, startled as Sheldon deftly slipped his foot out from under her, using a slight levering move.

"Uh-oh…His classic 'creator' opening…The confidential whisper…" Howard explained to Bernadette who frowned at him…

"What, did you take a semester away at Princeton and study this under him? 'Hitting 101'?" she eyed him.

"Lets just say You Tube has a full series on his wisdom, compiled by his more attentive students…" Raj noted. "Just look up 'Stein: The Science and Art of the Hit…' in ten parts…"

"And who could possibly have wanted to waste time documenting a how-to-lech series for geeks?" Bernadette eyed Howard…Who bowed…

"That would be me. Though I did disguise my voice and used an alias…Jock Sean McStudly, mum a' Scotland at your Majesty's service." He put on Sean Connery voice.

"I provide guest commentary…" Raj noted eagerly.

"Not any more…" Lucy spoke up calmly, startling the others, cool narrow stare at Raj.

"Deleted by Monday…" Raj, nervously. Bernadette nodding to Lucy…

That's the way, girl…

Of course, I'll have to pull an all-nighter to watch the whole thing before I have Howard delete it.

"Hofstadter…" a worried Siebert had come over to Leonard, still eagerly expostulating to an interested Dr. Francis on his latest experimental series… "I think your puppy is about to do a bad thing on the rug is that is our beloved campus…" he indicated Sheldon now advancing to Amy and Stein…

Amy, glancing Leonardward now…

I think…Maybe…

He nodded… "Just a moment, Dr. Francis, President Siebert?" he stepped over…To the just returned from break bandleader who nodded at his whisper…

"Sheldon…" Penny had hurried after him after recovering from the shock…

Sheldon Cooper…

Sheldon?…Cooper?...Got loose from me?

"The band is starting up again and you promised me a dance…" she tried, urgently.

"Sheldon…" Amy, pleading tone at his dark look. "Dr. Stein has been telling me so much about you that I really needed to know…" anxious stare…

Sudden pause.

Dear God…What am I doing? I've waited years for a moment like this…

And Dr. Stein is 77…He'd hardly hurt Sheldon…

Much…

I hope…

"Cooper? Anything wrong?" Stein, slightly sly mocking tone, rather amused at Sheldon's obvious jealousy.

"No…" slowly, tone of cold rage. "But…If…Dr. Fowler…Would…Consider…"

"And we're back…And I believe…" the bandleader smiled out at the crowd, eyes seeking out… "We have a special guest vocalist joining us tonight. Could we have a big hand for Dr. Amy Farrah Fowler?"

Sheldon blinking…

Amy nervously stepping forward as Penny, Raj, Lucy stared, startled from their respective spots…While Bernadette and Howard grinned. Penny catching their mutual grins…President Siebert, Dr. Gablehauser, and various assorted faculty and staff familiar with Amy staring…

Guys?...What is up, here…The mutual questioning…

"Howard?" Amy looked to him. He nodding as Bernadette patted him…

Penny, Raj, Lucy…What is…?

Leonard, Cheshire cat grin…

Just wait…

Sheldon stepped by Howard…Gulping the last of his drink down…

"It's all right, Howard. I'll take over." He stepped by Amy. She giving Leonard anxious look…

"Sheldon…" Leonard hissed to him, pulling at him… "Please…You know Amy's been working on this since I got Siebert and Gablehauser to let me chair the entertainment committee for tonight. I told you she wanted to surprise us…This is really for you as much as all of us, come on, don't ruin it."

"Sheldon?" Penny, uncertain…But accepting Leonard's urgent look to her for support.

Sheldon frowning, putting up a hand…

"Amy? I know I may have groused about this all week when you rehearsed but I know the music. Do you trust me?" he stared at her. "I won't let you down." Steady look…

She eyed him… Pause…He, calm now, smiling, nodding…Offering a hand which she took…Turning to Howard again, expectantly.

"It's on the keyboard." Howard nodded with smile… "Go to it, buddy…"

Patting a nervous Bernadette.

"It's ok, Leonard." Amy nodded…Letting Sheldon lead her to the stage…

"Leonard?" Penny, anxiously…As Amy took position next to the band's vocalist who beamed at her…

Sheldon politely waiting for the keyboardist to move…

Stein moving to Leonard…

"Are they really going to…?" he began…

Sheldon, eyeing score, playing on cue as the band started…

Amy in duet with the band vocalist…Warm smile out to the crowd, catching her friends one by one…Stiff at first but starting to sway and swing with the other…

"So you are…Tonight I wanna show you off…eh, eh, eh…

We're gonna party like it's 1942…I wanna show the finer things in life to you… So just forget about the world, we're young tonight…

I'm coming for ya, I'm coming for ya…" grin to a solemn Sheldon at keyboard. Snap of fingers in time with her partner…

Utterly open-mouthed astonishment from the gang…Excepting Lucy who was unsure whether geniuses were to be expected to display incredible musical ability as a matter of course…

And Leonard, impresario of the evening who gave shrewd grin to Penny's sidelong stare…

"Did you…?" she asked…

"Amy wanted to do something special…" he beamed. "And these guys were grateful for a little extra financial support…"

You…Little…She beamed…

Drs. Stein and Francis each respectively eyeing Amy with admiration and rather genuine interest…

Deep growl…"Cause all...I need

Is a beauty and a beat…" beam to Sheldon…Who nodded solemnly…Slightest of smiles…

"Who can make my life complete

It's all about you,

When the music makes you move

Baby, do it like you do

Cause...

Body rock, girl, I can feel your body rock (eh, eh, eh)…" swaying, nod to her singing partner…

"Amy!" Penny, Bernadette both wiping tears, cheering…

"Take a bow, you're on the hottest ticket now, oh (eh, eh, eh)…"

The band vocalist stepping back to leave it to Amy…

"We gonna party like it's 1942…I'm coming for ya, I'm coming for ya...

Cause all I need

Is a beauty and a beat

Who can make my life complete

It's all about you,

When the music makes you move

Baby, do it like you do…"

The vocalist rejoining her…

Switch to rapid staccato style…Faster and faster…

"In time, neuron ink lines, couldn't slice it on my incline…" grin to Sheldon…Who gave mock frown…

"World tours, it's mine, ten little letters, on a big sign

Justin Bieber, you know I'mma hit 'em with the ether

Buns out, wiener, but I gotta keep an eye out for Selener

Beauty, beauty and the beast

Beauty from the east, beautiful confessions of the priest

Beast, beauty from the streets, we don't get deceased

Every time a beauty on the beats

(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, let's go, let's go)

Body rock,I wanna feel your body rock…" pause…

Big finish…

"Cause all...I need

Is a beauty and a beat

Who can make my life complete

It's all... (all I need is you) about you,

When the music makes you move

Baby, do it like you do

Whoa oh…oh, oh…Cause all I need is a beauty and a beat…

Who can make my life complete…"

"Holy Krishna…" Raj shook head…Eyeing Howard… "Our little Internet Amy…"

"And they call Stein, 'the Creator'…" Howard, winking…Holding hand for a high five to Raj…

The audience cheering as Amy, teary, embraced Sheldon rising from his keyboard, the band applauding them as well…

"Holy crap…" a deep and rather Katie Sackoff voice next to Howard and Leonard, rather startling them.

"Dad? Is that really Sheldon Cooper up there?" she turned to Stein whose attention was solely focused on Amy…The audience still applauding as Amy broke a moment from Sheldon to embrace the vocalist who patted her, beaming…Returning to embrace Sheldon as he rose…

"Sheldon!" Leonard beamed…Thumbs up to Sheldon's nod…

"And who's the one all over him…?" frown…

Jesus…Sorry, Ma…Howard stared at the vision before him…

All right, God of my fathers, I get the cosmic practical joke…My bathroom fantasies come to life…

Right in front of my wife…

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Bernadette blanched, catching sight.

I've watched Galactica enough trying to get her right…She eyed Howard who shrugged…

I did say… "The spitting image"…


	5. Chapter 5

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part V…

With the resumption of things musical by the official band for the evening, the musical duo Shamy found itself the object of considerable appreciative attention…

"Was that wreally Frowler, Wolowitz? I'd no idea she was capable of such hotness." Barry Kripke, drink in hand had come over to Howard, nodding up to the stage. "And mowre impowrtant, does Howfstadtewr have the band singer's number?" he eyed the tall vocalist over with the band.

"Yes…And yes, but not a chance, Kripke." Howard smiling… "Amy!" he called, raising arm in triumph.

"Hwello…Is that vwison of lovewliness who I think it is…?" Kripke eyed the tall blonde in white sequined gown by Dr. Stein. "I must compwliment Howfstadtwer on his ability as entewrtainment chaiwrpewrson."

"No, Barry." Raj sighed. "We didn't hire Katie Sackoff for the party…"

"Katie Who…?" Kripke looked at him. "I mean the Phwysicist of Powrn. And I also must say, she looks almost as nice in a dwress as she does in and out of hwer battle suit. Now, how's about intwroducing me as hwer most dewoted fan?"

"She's Dr. Stein's daughter, Dr. Susan Stein, Barry…" Howard sighed. "I don't think you wanna go bringing up her side career tonight."

"What?" Kripke stared as Susan made her determined way through the crowd now congratulating Amy and Sheldon…A very nervous, rather anxious to free of the admittedly very nice compliments, Amy…

"Awre you sayin' she will not only be visiting hwer father on campus duwring his six months hewre but I will have a legit excuse to 'consult' with hwer on vawrious mattwers pewrtaining to my field?" eager tone.

"Actually…Yes." Raj sighed.

Howard and Bernadette looking at him…

"Come on, she's nearly twice his size…Let the poor fellow have his dream for a moment." Raj shrugged.

Amy nervously nodding to the friendly attention…All very nice but…So unused to this kind of approbation, she wasn't sure if it was sincere or a prelude to some sort of practical joke involving locking her in the janitor's closet or claiming the last few years, those most joyous of her life, were a long played out sucker's game…

"Sheldon, you beautiful son of a…Well…" Penny wiped tears, patting him as Amy shyly beamed, on his arm… "No offense to Mary. Oh, what I am doing?!…Amy, you c'mere!" she hugged her.

Reaching a hand to Leonard who'd come over with Dr. Francis…

You…Penny's warm smile…Tight clasp of his arm as she held Amy…Leonard nodding thanks…

"Darn you, bestie…" she stepped back, mock frowning… "I'm supposed to be the one in the arts…"

"Sheldon…Dr. Xavier Francis…And…Thanks, buddy…" Leonard nodded to him. "Great job…"

"Doctor? We've met when I was a student at Austin and visiting professor at Heidelberg…" Sheldon politely.

"Indeed…" Francis nodded. "But I'd no idea you or Dr. Fowler were such accomplished musicians." Smile.

"I just played what I saw in front of me…" shrug. "Amy Farrah Fowler, songstress, is the one deserving the praise. By the way, Dr. Fowler?" he turned to Amy who was still basking shyly in the praise she treasured more than anyone's but Sheldon's…Penny excitedly and tearfully holding her hand while also clinging to a very content Leonard's arm.

"If that was a proposal…I accept." Sheldon noted, calmly.

Amy…Whirling…Stunned. Penny and Leonard blinking…

"Well, that was a proposal, wasn't it?" Sheldon eyed her archly… "'All I need…', 'Make my life complete…' etc…? Leonard, you're the expert on marital proposals, wasn't that a proposal?"

"Well…Given the boy can play an instrument and reconstruct the formation and evolution of the universe in his brain, I'd consider making it so, Dr. Fowler…" Dr. Francis, first to speak in the stunned silence. "Am I correct in offering congratulations to my dearly beloved teacher and colleague's granddaughter and her beau?" smile.

"Sheldon! Sheldon Cooper!" a call…Sheldon, glancing over…

"Oh, Lord…" Sheldon stared. Nervous look to Amy…Who was staring at the face of her enemy…With a hard stare not unlike the initial stages of Sheldon's grim stare at his old adviser but a few minutes before.

"Hey, Sheldon! It's your girl, come to collect!" wave…

Have we entered the Twilight Zone, somehow? Howard hissed to Raj as they looked for a chance to get through to the others…Bernadette encouraging Lucy who seemed game to brave the crowd so long as all attention was on their friends…

"He didn't catch that when I showed up with a vision like you on my arm?" Raj, smile to Lucy who nervously grinned… "Yes, we are…" firm nod. "And I for one, am staying."

Bernadette, pleased nod…Warm smile to Lucy.

Collect?...Amy stared. Sheldon now fully as anxious as she had been…

Ummn…Collect?…Well, you see…

"Sheldon Cooper…!" the statuesque blonde figure in white gown had suddenly broken through the crowd of still shocked if appreciative colleagues… Embracing and lifting Sheldon off his feet while Amy was still recovering from her own particular Sheldon-induced shock… "Shelbotty, it's me, your girl!" whirling him…

Though recovery, as Penny and Leonard noted, was remarkably swift…

Shelbotty?...Penny eyed Leonard who gave uncertain shrug…

"Hello. I'm the newly engaged Dr. Mrs. Cooper…" Amy, grimly tapping the spinning tall figure who paused. "You must be Susan Stein…Nice to meet you. Please put my fiancée down, he nosebleeds easily."

No one in the confusion noting the sly smile and cool look Dr. Francis turned back upon the rather anxious face of Francis Stein, watching the proceedings at the edge of the crowd around Sheldon, Amy, and his somewhat nonplused daughter.

A look which one might interpret variably as "Revenge is a dish best served by your own child" or simply "Up yours, Frankenstein."

….


	6. Chapter 6

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part VI…

On the one hand…Penny considered, eyeing the startled Susan Stein who now lowered Sheldon…

No way is he getting away without a proper proposal…

On the other…She eyed Dr. Stein…

Commendations to my bestie's fast thinking for securing her position at once. Definitely a good idea…

She looked at Sheldon…Who was rather wobbily on being lowered…

You got some 'plaining to do, Lucy, she frowned at him.

Ah…Drunk, dizzy from the unaccustomed combination of jealousy and exhilaration as to emotional excitement, and nauseated from his little centrifuge spin, three lemons spelling a jackpot, he groaned and collapsed, vomiting…

"Sheldon!" Amy, distracted by his sudden acute display from what would have been an intensive interrogation…Though immediately torn between her urgent concern for her stricken lamb and her fury at Susan's quick move to block her from Sheldon, quickly crouching over him…

"Sheldon?...Sheldon, are you ok? I shoulda remembered you can't take the centrifuge ride. Oh, honey…" Susan, anxiously…

Though not so anxiously as not to keep a firm block over him…

Jesus…Penny, about to intervene, annoyed and sure her friend would need physical support, backing from Amy's icy glare…

I chuckled once when she mentioned how ruthless Fowler women were in defense of mates. What was it? Her grandma kidnapped her second husband, "for his own good"?

"I won't say this twice…Get away from my fiancée…" Amy growled, thrusting herself into position by Sheldon's head. "He needs some air…" minor qualification for the barest sake of politeness, belied by her furious stare.

"Moonpie…You'll be all right." Amy cooed. Looking to the group clustering worriedly. "He'll just had too much excitement. Please get a doctor, just in case…"

Susan for her part not about to be dislodged by this little…Holding firmly to Sheldon's arm.

Oh, damn…It's her…She peered at Amy as Amy rubbed Sheldon's temples…Sheldon now opening eyes, glancing round…Coughing…

From Dad's office, that time…I knew it… Sheldon's… "sister"…All concerned about him…

Right…

"Hey, buddy…" Leonard came through… "You, ok?"

Though puzzled stare at the two women locked in fierce positional combat over him…

What? He glanced at Penny who shrugged…

I knew I'd seen her sculking around the Austin campus, stalking him, Susan glared.

Oh, you enemy…You enemy…

"Susan?" Dr. Stein had made his way to them… "Is Cooper all right?"

His face clearly indicating his concern was definitely not with Sheldon…A pleading look…

"Dr. Fowler?" he eyed Amy…

"He'll be fine…Just a bit too much to drink and a little too much…" Sheldon, coughing now…

"Get him some water, please!" Susan called.

Amy, narrow glare…

So…The rumors at Austin were true…And my Moonpie has not told me all…

Of course, it being Sheldon, who is incapable of lying, he probably never realized just how in deep he'd been in the coils of this spider's web.

Foolish though to play the first round so openly…I should have just used my "Penny" strategy…Made her my best friend and then either proven her no threat or quietly cut her throat…Metaphorically speaking…

Perhaps…

Though in the case of Susan Stein, I may need to be less metaphorical…

"Here's some water…" Howard offered a glass which Amy deftly grabbed from his extended hand…Susan, icy stare to her…

"Raj called the campus emergency service, they're sending a doctor."

"What's going on?" Leonard hissed to Penny, eyeing the two women coolly eyeing each other over Sheldon. "They look like they're going to each take half of him…"

"Not half…" Penny stared. "Amy…?" she called, gently. "Do you need any help with him?"

"We're fine here…He's gonna be fine." Susan cut in. "Aren't you, Shelybot?" she patted him as he stared.

Oh…No…He looked up to Amy's firm and composed face, beaming on him. "I think I drank something that tasted funny."

"Gablehauser's large gin and tonic…" Leonard smiled. "But you and Amy were terrific, Shely…" he began, teasing tone…Blinking at Amy's sudden furious glare…

You call him that, you die…Clearly…

"Shelybot, you know can't drink…" Susan shook head. "Who's been letting my Shelybot drink? It makes him sick…" narrow eyeing of Amy…

"I'm all…" Sheldon began, both women turning their focus to him…

"Lie still, Moonpie…" "Don't get up, Shelybot."

Shelybot? Howard eyed Leonard, who shrugged.

"Thanks for your help, Dr. Stein…I've got him." Amy, tone of grim finality.

"Oh, I wanna be sure my Shelybot's ok." Susan, firmly. "And be careful with that water, you're going to choke him."

Got him like Hell, you…

Help…? Sheldon looking up at Penny, Leonard…

"Just take a sip, Sheldon…I've got you…" Amy urged…And declared. Carefully holding glass to his lips…

"I said, be careful…" Susan insisted as Sheldon coughed…Putting hand on the glass. Amy, darting death from her eyes…

Wow. Bernadette, with Lucy, eyeing from the circle round the group over Sheldon…

Amy looks just like me whenever we encounter one of Howie's old girlfriends willing to acknowledge him…

They really are engaged…How beautiful…

Penny catching sight of Dr. Francis, in the circle…

Looking rather amused under a stance of concern…

"Susan?" Dr. Stein by Bernadette in the circle now…

She frowning at him…

Dad…Leave this to me…

"Holy Chwrist, Hofstadtwer…" Kripke had made his way to Leonard… "Are you sure you didn't pay for this?" he hissed, nodding at Susan, bent over Sheldon, covering all but his head where Amy was grimly dug in.

Leonard staring…

"Cause if so…You have my vwervent thanks for putting the Physicist of Pworn back in business." Kripke patted him.

"Amy, the doctor's here…" Penny noted, seeing Raj coming through with the said medico…

"You better…" she blinked at Amy's hard stare…

Guess not…She looked at Leonard…

"Ladies…?" Raj, a bit confused… "You'll really have to let the doctor examine Sheldon…"

Mutual deadly glares…

Thank god the doctor's not a woman…Penny hissed to Leonard…Stepping back with him to let the doctor through…Susan very reluctantly pulling just enough away to allow him to view Sheldon who was rather more paralyzed with fear of his ministering angels than by his recent tummy upset.

"Amy's never said anything…Dangerous…About my singing 'Soft Kitty' to Sheldon?" she asked…

"Hofstadter?" President Siebert, concerned tone… "Cooper's not going to go and die on us, now is he?"

"No, he'll be fine, President Siebert…He's just had a little too much excitement."

And is having far more right now…He eyed Penny.

"Well, quite an evening…" Dr. Francis grinned, stepping over to Leonard.

"Susan's looking in the pink…Figuratively, for once…" he smiled to Stein who coolly ignored him…Still anxiously watching a reluctant Susan give up her position and rise, though keeping firmly by Sheldon.

Amy, glaring at the doctor, but herself giving up position…Though the last to do so…She noted in triumph…Rising as well.

"It's very nice to meet you." She eyed Susan. Grimly appraising stare…

Slut from Hell…

"And you…Dr. Folwer?" Susan, cool smile.

Psycho bitch stalker…

"Susan, this is Amy Fowler…My old colleague and teacher Margaret's granddaughter…" Stein had come to make introduction…And a temporary truce…

"Is he ok, doctor?" Howard, addressing the doctor…

Both Amy and Susan instantly turning to hear…

"Just a bit dizzy I think…" the doctor smiled…

"Keep your head up, Shelybot…That always helped." Susan, quick thrust… "So you're Margaret Fowler-Horowitz's granddaughter? A physicist?" 

"Neurobiologist…" Amy replied…

"Good…" Susan smiled… "I mean, we need more women in other fields besides the only one Sheldon cares about…"

"And I know what you are, doctor…" Amy, calmly... "A number of my colleagues here are quite familiar with your work."

"Yeah, I should say so…" Kripke, stepping in to eager seizing the opportunity… "Bawrry Kwripke, physicist…Appwreciator of the wrare and pwrecious…"

"Yeah, hi." Susan, curtly.

I'm in… Kripke beam to Howard and Raj…

"We must diswcuss our mutwual interwests in wrelevant fields sometime." He nodded.

"Uh-huh. Maybe…" Curtly.

And that, gentlemen, is how it's done…Barry nodding to Raj who rolled eyes, then Howard who grinned at Bernadette who struggled to keep a straight face.


	7. Chapter 7

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part VII…

"So I'm never gonna dance again…Guilty feet have got no rhythm…" The 1920s vintage style "Postmodern Jukebox" version of "Careless Whisper" played…

Sheldon safely seen to and something of a truce now in effect, Raj and Lucy were rather happily dancing, Lucy to the gang's general surprise displaying considerable talent for Jazz Era style dancing…

Amy rather annoyed to have been pressed to stay by President Siebert himself after Leonard had, with Howard's help, managed to load the still wobbily Sheldon into his car to get him home…

…to safety…As Sheldon, rather remarkably having recovered quickly…To an extent…Had put it, once safely away…

"Sheldon? We thought you were really ill. Amy was scared to death…" Leonard, frowning…

"I was, just not quite so…" sigh… "Oh, you saw them, Leonard…They were going to divide me between them…Or at least…"

Leonard glanced at him, briefly…

"Road?!" Sheldon insisted.

"Sheldon, there's no traffic and I'm going 20 miles an hour at Amy's request to spare your tummy." Leonard sighed. "I hope this doesn't mean you take back your proposal…You're not gonna break Amy's heart, now? Claim you were too drunk to remember?…Cause some people you know can tell you…"

"Yes, I know Penny's made other drunken proposals…She means them you know…She's just frightened if you say yes too quickly." Sheldon nervously considering the potential for whizzing death as he stared out at the road…

"What?"

"And it was an acceptance…" precise tone. "Amy proposed. And a Cooper doesn't renege on a promise."

"Oh…Well…Good, good…I'm glad. You have to ask her too, you know, it's only right. A girl likes to be…Penny really meant it?!" Leonard, a bit frantic to get to the real meat of interest…

"Yes, of course she meant it. You're the best thing that ever happened to her." Sheldon frowned. "She's just terrified you might decide she's lost value after the deal is signed and she's off the showroom floor. That's car sales talk, by the way. Apparently that's the standard for metaphor in Nebraska…"

"But if she meant it…"

"She declared herself your fiancée officially, didn't she? Geesh, Hofstadter what more hoops do you intend to put that poor girl through? Now me, I accepted Amy's proposal, right off the bat…"

"Right off the what? Sheldon? She's been trying to move you two along for…"

"You mean to the stage of your sort of nightly coupling…Lot of good that's done your long-term relationship." Offhand shrug…

"Hey, don't knock it…" Leonard shrugged. "Maybe it's not the best way to build a long-term relationship but it's better than…"

"Yes?" Sheldon, coolly…

"Well…Sheldon…"

"The steadily increasingly complex web of spiritual and emotional intimacy Amy Farrah Fowler and I have established, with every prospect for continued development versus Leonard and Penny in the sack after yet another break-up and usually no closer mentally, emotionally, and spiritual than you were at the start…"

"That's not…"

"You couldn't even sense Penny's desire to have you, the said best thing in her life, with her always versus her terror both that one or both of you might find it too confining or limiting and run…She's more afraid of you in that regard, by the way."

"She told you that?"

"It's obvious…Lord, Leonard…For the man Amy calls the emotional center of our group, your empathic and emotional antennae seem to be dead where the woman you claim to love and cherish is concerned. I say again…Geesh."

"She really meant it…" Leonard beamed. "And it's really official?"

"I think she meant she wants you to ask again…And how can it be truly official till you or she have asked formally since you keep turning her down."

"I turn her down…?" gasp… "I've been asking her for years…She told me to stop asking…"

"Until…?" Sheldon, calmly…

"Until…She asked me…?" sheepish expression.

"There you go…" nod. "You may give your firstborn my name in appreciation…Shelly if it's a girl."

"Sheldon!" sigh…

Though of course…Sheldon Hofstadter does have a certain…

"Maybe the middle name…I'll see what Penny says."

"Ole ball-and-chain has us by the throat already, eh?"

"What about Amy? And what about Susan Stein? You faked that whole incident to get away from them?"

"Oh, no…I told you. I was very sick after Susan spun me…Surely you've seen me pass out under similar circumstances…"

True enough…Leonard pondered. "But you played it up…"

"I had to get away…" Sheldon sighed. "Susan might have…" nervous look which Leonard caught in the driver's rear view mirror…

Leonard suddenly braked…Startling Sheldon…

"What, what? Is the check engine light on? Did we hit a gerbil?" terrified look.

"A what? No…Sheldon Cooper?!…Did you lie to Amy about Susan Stein?!" grim stare…

Uh…

"No…Not…Exactly…" guilty tone…

Holy…

"Sheldon?! What happened between you and Susan?!" Leonard, stunned.

"I didn't mean for her to be my first…" Sheldon noted, sad tone…

Holy…

Lord, if only I had a pocket recorder or anything…Penny is never going to believe me…

….

"No, I'm never gonna dance again...Guilty feet have got no rhythm..." the song continued...Howard and Bernadette joining Raj and Lucy with their own attempt at vintage 20's dance...

Kripke, dancing past with an elderly faculty member shaking head at the sight...

"You're sure that blonde nymphet didn't slip out?" Amy hissed to Penny as they watched the dancers… "I mean of course the other blonde nymphet…"

"No, she's still here…Watching us, actually…" Penny noted, nodding to where Susan was chatting with her father and various faculty.

A number of male faculty quite eager to do so, it seemed...

"Good. I was afraid she'd find a way to slip out…I only stayed because Leonard promised to keep Sheldon safe…In every sense of the word…" grim look at Penny.

"I'm sure he will, Amy…"

"…I can't understand why President Siebert wanted me of all people to stay…" Amy frowned. "No one usually cares whether I show up, leave, or might be found locked and starving in a hall gym closet two weeks after the event."

Uh…Penny blinked…Shrugging…

"Well, tonight, Amy Farrah Fowler was the belle of the ball…" Penny patted her. "And didn't even Sheldon Cooper take notice…" demure nod and smile.

"He did, didn't he? Penny…I'd nearly forgotten! Oh, God! I'm engaged!" she cried…

"Well, after he asks you…That galoot is going to get things right if I have to hold him down and twist his scrawny…"

"Hell you will!" Amy frowned. "I've made the proposal, he accepted…Done deal…Don't you dare louse this up for me, bestie." Glare…

"Amy…" Penny, nervous glance round…

"Sorry, sorry…It's just…Penny, my life has reached its apogee…I'm dancing on air…I can't believe what's happening…Plus that bitch is standing ready to suck the life out of my joy…" Amy sighed, nodding to indicate Susan, standing with President Siebert and her father.

Dr. Francis chatting casually with various faculty and alumni but keeping watchful eye on his old friend and said old friend's daughter…

"Not if I can help it as to Dr. Stein…" Penny, firmly… "And you go right on dancing on that air, Amy, my best friend…Who deserves every good thing…" warm beam, pat. "Especially if she willing to save the world from Sheldon Cooper…" grin… "And Amy…Your life is just starting on the way it should be…Doing that climbing thing like in Leonard's experiment charts."

"Very good…" Amy beamed. "You are getting the science…Bit by bit…"

"Thanks…" Penny, pleased. "Yeah, I really think my problem was I needed glasses…"

"But please…Bestie…" Amy smiled. "No matter how good you get under Leonard's loving tutelage, don't ever stop being Penny? Though I see from that remark on your nonprescription glasses you haven't as yet."

"Not a chance…" firm nod.

"And you're engaged too! President Siebert was asking me when that happened…" Amy, happily…"When did that happen? And why didn't you tell me? We can do a double wedding…Oh…" she trembled excitedly. "I never thought I'd be married and now, a double wedding with my bestie! And I now could sing at our wedding…Well, that one song…"

Kripke, overhearing while pondering hitting on the arguably second and third hottest chicks in the room, slight sigh…

Not surprised by Fowler, despite tonight's amazing transformation but really…Penelope?...A true loss to the studly, even if it explains her and Hofstadter…

Not that there's anything wrong with that…Long as the University enforces anti-discrimination policies…

"Oh, that…" Penny, nervously.

"So did Leonard retroactively accept the last drunken one?…Good for him." Amy beamed. "We be setting a new trend, bestie…Well, actually Grandma did ask Grandpa Leonard while she held him at the farm."

"So that really happened? I thought you were kidding…"

"Oh, he was grateful later…Grandma had to save him from the floozy trying to take him for his financial position, after he'd spilled all in therapy. It was so romantic…Love at third session. Well, it took Grandpa another week in confinement, but…"

Hmmn…She looked over at Susan who was once again glancing her way, clearly anxious to see that her nemesis had not vamoosed in pursuit of the elusive Sheldonbeast…

History repeats itself, perhaps…Though I did propose first so my claim would be even better than Gran Mag's arguing to herself that she needed to protect her patient from himself…And floozy.

"Well, see Amy…" Penny began… "As to my engagement…"

"Dr. Fowler, Ms. Penny…" Dr. Francis had come over to them… "How is Dr. Cooper?"

"I'm just about to call to check…" Amy noted.

"Oh, before you do…Doctor." Francis smiled. "Could I possibly have a word alone?"

"Well…" Amy, anxious now…

Image of Sheldon gasping his last breaths, screaming her name…Oh, stable vitals or not, why the hell did I let that fool Siebert talk me into staying…Just like the goddess Fortuna to snatch him from me.

Hell, you cruel and merciless bitch, fight fair…She glanced over to Susan… Let me take my chances with her, don't pull this vicious stuff…Oh, please…Please…Clenching fists.

Besides I could take her…Just one careful nerve pinch and she's temporarily paralyzed and on a flight to Bangkok to resume her film career...

"I'll call Leonard, Amy." Penny offered. "You have a nice chat…" smile to Dr. Francis…

Yep, Ms. Dr. Hofstadter doin' her social duty, hostess with the mostess…I could get to likin' this…She beamed.

Though rather avoid having my bestie pin me down on this right now. At least not till I've talked to Leonard…

Still, maybe it's not all that bad a notion…Askin' them…

At least, when sober and not depressed by career failures…

"So…" Amy distracted and a bit at sea as to the social etiquette…

Still, on a night like this…

Her radiance rather impressive at that…

"…Dr. Hofstadter is so glad to have you here…"

"A wonderful boy…I hope to do some good work with him again…My finest pupil…And this time I really mean that." Smile, then serious look. "But Dr. Fowler…May I call you, Amy?"

"Oh, yes…"

"If we could move out of range of I think you know who…" he suggested, indicative glance toward the suddenly attentive Dr. Stein…His daughter momentarily distracted in an attempt to speak to Howard…Clearly a friend of the Hofstadter guy who'd carted Sheldon off…Who surely would have and would surrender his friend's address and phone number…

Bernadette firmly planted at his side, with brittle smile.

"Doctor?" Amy puzzled as Francis gently led her off…

"My dear, as a former student of and friend to your grandmother…I feel it's my place to warn you." Francis, urgently. "Your relationship to Dr. Cooper is in dire peril so long as Stein and his daughter are here. I cannot emphasis enough that you must keep them away from you and Sheldon…"

She blinked at him.

My…She eyed that earnest look…

He does have the reassuring air of natural command that makes one trust implicitly…Just like that Ben Kingsley guy…

"The Steins live to destroy lives, Amy…To ruin the happiness of anyone they can amuses them…And Susan has never forgiven Sheldon for rejecting her. Nor has her father, who delights in seeing his equally fiendish daughter torment and destroy males as he has females." Shrewd nod… "Forget the Frankenstein analogies, dear heart…You've heard of Dr. Fu Manchu and his fiendish daughter?"

Amy staring…

However only yadda, yadda, yadda "…Susan…" yadda, yadda, yadda… "…Sheldon…" yadda, yadda, yadda… "… rejecting her…" heard by her…

Hmmn…This may take a while to sell…Francis eyed her vague smile…

But they didn't call me "St. Francis Xavier Gandi..." in school for nothing…He renewed earnest look…


	8. Chapter 8

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part VIII…

Tense silence reigned in Leonard's car…Sheldon's one born of guilt, Leonard's one of shock, mixed with his natural reluctance to press on intimate matters, and containing a growing mingling of frustrated eagerness to hear more, matched against the understanding that Sheldon if pressed would very likely clam up completely. Only his answer to Penny's urgent call requesting news on Sheldon's condition breaking the tension for a moment…

He noted to her that Sheldon seemed better and Amy was not to worry…Yes, he would put Sheldon to bed…Yes, he'd help him with his jammies and see that he brushed his teeth…No, "Soft Kitty" was not an option, by mutual choice but, yes, he would hold the phone so Amy could sing it to him when Sheldon was settled. Yes, he'd hold a mo… Sheldon, glancing nervously at him…Yeah, still here, he acknowledged Penny's return. No, Amy could rest easy, he was not irresponsibly risking Sheldon's precious life by talking on the phone while driving, he'd pulled over beforehand…Would he what?

Leave the what, what?...Sheldon eyeing him…Hmmn?

"I know they're…Engaged…" Eye roll… "But…" Leonard, frowning…

Oh…Sheldon, slight smile…Leonard eyeing him now, well aware that he's fully aware of Amy's transmitted request to leave the front door unlocked, if he went to bed before she and Penny arrived…

Who are you? His look to Sheldon saying…

"Ok, whatever…I'd better get him home. How's the party going?" pause… "And how is our singing sensation getting on with Susan Stein?"

Narrow look from Sheldon…What?

"I'll bet they have a lot to talk about regarding our Texas galoot, yeah…" arch look over to Sheldon's glare.

"Ok…I'll call you when he's in his jammies and set in bed…Ok…Penny? Yes." Pause… "I hope you got that. And yes, as that song goes…I will still love you when you're no longer young and you'll always be beautiful to me…Believe it?" slow smile as he listened… "Well… Great. Ok. I love you so much. Ok…See ya…" he closed phone, slight smile.

Wow. He looked round, a bit dazed…

Jesus, after all that's happened…All the years of trying to make it happen…

It happens and I'm in my car driving a slightly drunk and nauseous Sheldon home, accepting her proposal over the phone…

Well…I'll get it right…Righter, later…

But…God…Smile…

I won't ever not think of this as the moment…This, the place…He glanced round at the quiet street of quiet homes, a car passing…

And be so, so grateful…

"Congratulations." Sheldon, curtly.

"Thank you." Smile…He started the car and pulled out. Silence resumed…

Once parked in the garage he helped Sheldon out and into the building…Not even the urge to ferret more out of his friend regards his startling announcement earlier overcoming his desire to simply savor the moment…

No, it really couldn't have been better or finer…Maybe a little fancier…Shrug. But like my friend Amy…I'll take it.

Hmmn… Speaking of my friend Amy…He frowned at Sheldon as they paused at the apartment door…

Who gave an innocent…What?...Stare…

….

"Penny?" Bernadette had come over, Howard safely withdrawn from the clutches of Susan Stein without spilling vital intelligence…

Unfortunately no credit to Howie's manful resistance, Kripke having happily rushed to provide the desired info as to address and phone…Though the lovely Dr. Stein was as yet unable to escape the social obligations…Or Kripke, who was demanding a hefty fee in her attention for his information.

As yet…Bernadette nervously concluding her report…Submitted at Howard's request…She glancing over to be sure Dr. Stein, female, was not seeking further data, from more directly connected sources…

Penny, clearly not listening to Bernadette's urgent warnings of potential danger, staring…Holding phone…

Whoa…She blinked…

"Penny?...Is Sheldon ok?" Bernadette anxiously…

Ok, if he's died, I'm sealing this place off and confiscating every plate and glass until cultures are performed…She looked over to see Howard at the buffet table with the President's party…Urgent summoning look…Wave to put plate and drink down…Put them down, for God's sake!

Puzzled but ever compliant, he did so, heading over to them as Raj and Lucy stared.

Ok, I don't mean to abandon dear friends…But so long as Howie's a little safer, we may need reliable exposed subjects…She smiled at the pair.

"Sheldon's fine…Better…" Penny, suddenly, stunned tone. "Leonard just accepted my proposal and told me what I've been praying to hear since I met him…" she eyed Bernadette.

"Guess I won't be one of those actress who has to go through two or three bad marriages to vain jerks till I settle down and meet the sweet love of my life…" she smiled dazedly.

"Ok, there was Zac for number one and he really wasn't so bad…" grin to stunned Bernadette…

"Oh, God! Penny?!" Bernadette, hugging the sobbing Penny…

"Guys?!" Howard had reached them, anxious at the sight of sobbing Penny embraced by sobbing Bernadette…Looking round for any sight of Amy… "Guys?!..." distressed look… "If Sheldon's dead…?"

"No! Howard!" Penny pulled away from Bernadette who frowned at him, calming, assuming pose, extending hand which he blinked at but took on Bernadette's wink and nod… "Penny Hofstadter, very pleased to meet you, Mr. Wolowitz…" she shook hand. "My husband Leonard is a researcher here at Cal Tech…" beam. Howard shaking hand, uncomprehending for a second, then…

"Penny…" he gasped. "Really? For real?"

"For real…" she nodded… "Oh, Howard…You sweet, sweet guy!…Thank you for never turning Leonard into your old self!…" she hugged him. "Thank you for not managing to find him some other girl…And for not dating and losing someone even nicer than that Stephanie…Oh…" she held him close, sobbing…Reaching to, patting Bernadette…

"Hey, guys?" a worried Raj and Lucy had joined them…

Surely this can't be for the death of Sheldon…We're past the years when we might have shed tears of joy…

"Penny and Leonard are engaged!…For real!" Bernadette beamed to him…

Oh? Blink…"For real?...This is for real?"

"Real as it gets, buddy…" Howard grinned…

Smiling nod…Bernadette too eager to rejoin the group hug to catch Raj's hesitation and Howard trapped in said hug…

"Why don't we go get Amy and tell her the good news, eh?" Raj turned to Lucy, gently leading her… "We'll be right back…Great news, Penny."

Raj?...Howard stared after him, though still hugged tight by Penny and, again, Bernadette…They too busy to notice…

"Raj?..." Lucy eyed him as they set out…"Aren't you…Glad…?"

"Oh…Sure…" sheepish tone… "It's just…I'd hoped, I guess…In the back of my mind…"

"Oh…" Woebegone look…Nod… "Penny is very…"

"No…No, Lucy…" he shook head. "I mean…I still hoped, maybe…Just if…Well…See, Leonard dated my sister, Priya for a while…" pause, sigh…Wry smile. "It really would have been very neat to have Leonard for a brother-in-law…And even if I expressed a little 'unhappiness' when they were going out? Like major such…" grin… "I really would have liked her to have a fine and good man like that." Smile. "But I couldn't be happier for Penny, and them both, really…It's good news, indeed."

"You're a sweet man, Rajesh…" Lucy, shyly kissing him on cheek.

…..

"You and Dr. Stein were very good friends…Sheldon and Leonard mentioned it…" Amy noted, uncertain as Dr. Francis led her around the far end of the room, carefully avoiding getting any closer than forced by the slow train of Stein and his daughter about the room, led by President Siebert…One or two people startling Amy by congratulating her on her performance. And…She looked away…But smiled to herself…

Definitely a checkout by that one…And I been with my bestie at enough clubs now watching her on the receiving end to know…She rocked a bit on her unsteady heels, shyly pleased.

Like Penny says, never hurts to be able to hint at a little competition for your beau. After all, my little affair with Stuart and my night of torrid dance with Leonard certain moved things along…

"Once, yes…" Francis nodded. "And contrary to the rumors it was not an academic dispute that drew us apart. We've had our share but it never affected our friendship…At least I believed so…Though Stein adds scientific jealousy to fuel his desire to ruin my life and those of anyone in his or his daughter's way. And you, Amy…" sigh.. "Have become very much, in the way." Hard stare.


	9. Chapter 9

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part IX…

Pressed by President Siebert to rejoin his entourage making the rounds and finding it difficult to continue with Stein and his daughter again in proximity, Dr. Francis had decided to make the best of the situation, leaving his subject anxious…Even a bit frantic…To hear more…

Famed physicist he might be, but he had profited by his psychological and humanities electives in undergraduate and graduate school as well as by the hard-learnt and dearly bought experiences of life…

Cruel it might be to perhaps jeopardize poor Dr. Fowler's happiness…But she was, after all, the granddaughter of Margaret Fowler…Who therefore should not only know enough human psychology to guard her heart but was a connection to the woman whose pain would most hurt Stein, for whom she'd remained the love of his life long after such youthful notions had faded from many a besotted young student's heart, including his own.

And hurting Francis N. Stein…His dear ole friend…And his daughter, the two white whales of his existence…In every way possible…Was now the driving passion of Xavier Francis. A passion that had engulfed all others including his love for Science, and perhaps even…

No…Not quite…Despite the bitterness and pain…Nothing, not even his hatred of Stein could quench his love for his own Margaret…

Anyway…The girl might as well learn the harsh realities of life sooner rather than later, after all…He offering a supportively kind smile to Amy as he joined Siebert to greet more alumni, nonchalant glance at Stein.

…..

"Amy! Amy?!" Raj, with Lucy beside him, had found Amy, a bit disconsolate and bewildered, at the edge of Siebert's now rather extensive cloud of faculty, alumni, and eager students seeking to be remembered by the lesser and greater gods of Cal Tech…

Hmmn? She eyed Rajesh blankly…He eyed her stricken face…Never more beautiful or haunting…A chiseled perfection, flawless…Framed by her, for once, carefully styled hair…

Krishna, how could I never have seen what Sheldon Cooper of all men saw in this woman?

But Fate is sometimes kind enough to make us blind for our own good, thank all the gods…He smiled at Lucy.

"Amy?…Are you are all right?" Lucy spoke up, concerned.

"I…Sure…" she nodded. "Busy night…" vague wave of hand… "And Sheldon…"

It can't be true…Sheldon couldn't keep anything from me…He'd never conceal anything from me…After all, Dr. Francis was just warning me, not telling me…Anything.

And we're engaged…He said yes…No, it's just jitters. It's been too grand an evening, the greatest of my life and this is the inevitable come down to earth, complete with my usual insecurities. Get a grip, as Gran would say…

He said to trust him…And he meant in more than a mere song…And I do, Ido…She closed her eyes…I believe in Sheldon Cooper…I always have and always will. Ever since the first day I saw him, on that train with Charlotte…He and his Meemaw…

Eleven years old…And the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen…

"Amy?" Raj a bit anxious now…

"I'm fine…" she looked at Raj… "Is anything wrong? Is Sheldon ok?"

"Yes, he's fine. Leonard's got him home. But there's wonderful news, Amy…"

"Really? On top of our engagements? Are you two?" she beamed…"Or is Bernadette pregnant?"

"Uh, no…It's just that…Leonard accepted Penny's proposal…I guess the last one she made?"

"Oh. Well, she already told us that, didn't she?" Amy stared. "She's been saying she was his fiancée all evening."

"Well, I don't think it actually was quite the done deal until now…" Raj, shrugging. "But now it's definite…Amy, isn't it terrific news? And what a damned relief after all the emotional roller coaster…" sigh.

"I always expected it…" she smiled. "Penny was insecure about his feelings but Sheldon and I felt Leonard would be up to any challenge she set. Still, it is good to have it finally confirmed…Since it means a double wedding." Eager beam…

"After Sheldon asks you properly, girl…" Raj, frowning. "I know you'll take it as you can get it but you deserve the amenities and he is damned well going to provide them as long as Rajesh Koothrapali has anything to say about it." Firm nod. Lucy, smiling, nodding as well.

"I'm sorry about Priya…" Amy eyed him. "You know, I'm sure, we never thought she was good for Leonard, always trying to change him and quench that open, loving heart of his to some sort of awful social respectability but I know you hoped…" she smiled wanly…Patting his arm.

"She threw away a pearl in Leonard and she will regret it, one day…If she doesn't now…" he sighed. "But, that's fate, dudette…A true bitch." Warm beam… "Thanks, Amy. You are the kindest person I know and the best friend…And I only pray Sheldon Cooper measures up to even half what you deserve. Come on, lets go help Penny over the shock…I think she still can't believe it. She's running around introducing herself as 'Penny Hofstadter' all over the place." Grin…

"Right…" nod…Frowning as she stumbled a little…

The price of fashion, I suppose…Though thank God Sheldon thinks high heels are a form of insane torture created by the fashionista Inquisition.

Though, damn, I do look so good in these puppies…She eyed herself passing by a mirrored wall.

Who'd've ever believed Sheldon was actually listening when Penny did shoe talk?

….

"Well…" Leonard benignly eyed Sheldon in bed… "Jammies on, teeth brushed…Is our tummy settling down now?"

"Yes, thank you Leonard." Sheldon nodded. "Can we call Amy and have her sing 'Soft Kitty' now?"

"No." cool stare. "You're not deserving of 'Soft Kitty' and you damned well know why." Frown.

"Aw, why not? I'm sick…And engaged." Shrewd look… "Amy will be mad at you." Narrow sidelong glance. "And you don't want Amy Farrah Fowler mad at you…"

"We'll see." Leonard, coolly. "After I tell her what I know whom she ends up being mad at…"

"No! Leonard!" Sheldon, bolting up right in bed, startling him. "You can't! Please, don't! Besides…" shrewd look again, calming… "You don't know anything…"

"I know…Enough…" hard stare.

"I was only thirteen, Leonard…Amy wasn't even in my frame of reference then…Most human beings weren't, actually."

"I believe that…" Leonard, calmly. "So, you want to tell me what happened. Or do you prefer to tell Amy, without my advice?"

Chuckle… "Your 'advice'…Oh, wait…" Sudden blink… "You mean Penny's advice. Hmmn…" Pondering…Narrow look… "She might give it to me anyway, if I get to her first…"

Heh…Knight takes smugly pontificating archbishop…

"Not now that we're engaged…" Leonard countered. "And when she knows Amy is going to be hurt…"

Damn the other archbishop threatens queen…

Mom always told me religion would get me in the end…

"Eh, why would Penny hesitate to speak to me cause you're engaged…And I'm faster than you…"

"I have a car, Sheldon…" Leonard noted.

"I mean at smart phone, sir…I can be on the horn to Penny while you're still trying to find your glasses to find the phone you so foolishly set down…Somewhere…" smug folding of arms.

Rook to king, check…

"Damn you…" Leonard groaned. "Why did I believe you when you said my glasses were making you dizzy again, seeing yourself in them?"

"Well, that was true…" Sheldon noted, smugly triumphant now…

"But…" Leonard…Pulling out the big gun… "It's the social convention that engaged people speak to their fiancées before giving advice. And while Penny has been a bit of the rebel…She's now…Engaged."

Dang! Did not see that, knight takes rook, places my king in check!

"You didn't have time to sign anything…"

Desperate attempt to bluff threaten opposing king…

"Penny? Sign something? Besides a new credit card?" Leonard, quietly triumphant.

Dang, he's right…She's totally of the verbal bartering school…Checkmate…

"Oh, all right…I'll tell you everything…" sigh. "I already tole Meemaw anyway…And confession is good for the soul, she says."

"Oh, definitely…She's so right…Good for her, good for Meemaw…" Leonard nodded blandly, eagerly taking seat by the bed.

"I want to call Amy first…I need my dose of 'Soft Kitty' before I do this…" Sheldon insisted.

"She may never sing it to me again, if she finds out…" low sigh…


	10. Chapter 10

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part X…

Amy again with band…The band's vocalist taking it first…

"You're sure you've got it?" Amy, anxiously.

"I'm sure, Doc…" the vocalist smiled kindly. Nod to bandleader…

Music…The band playing in slow, mellow jazz style…

"Sooofffttt…Kitty…Ooooh, warm…So warm…Kitty…" pause… "Little ball…of fur…."

"Oh…Slllleeepppy kitty…Ooooh…Haaaappy kitty…Purr…Oooh, purr…Purr…"

Breakdown…Amy taking lead…

"Sooooofffttt…Kitty…My soft kity…My warm, so warm kitty…" Caressing microphone…As Bernadette holds phone close… "Little…Ball…Of…Fur…"

Whoa…Raj staring…Howard with Penny, Raj, and Lucy, standing by the group about President Siebert, staring with the group…

That be one soft jazz kitten…Raj noted to Lucy.

Stare at audience… "Sleeepy kitty, happy kitty…Purr…Purr…" Growl, shake of head…

Howard and Raj staring from their respective spots…

"Now I feel what it's like to be God…" Raj noted to Lucy, rub of hands with a bit of the dramatic in tone, grin. "Or at least Frankenstein…"

She eyed him…

"Well, ok…We didn't assemble her for Sheldon from body parts…" he shrugged. "But…"

"…Purr…Oh, purr…Purr…Puuurrrrr…Meow…." Amy posing seductively.

"And that is definitely a kweepwer for my facebook pwage…" Kripke, lowering smart phone, notes. "With pwerhaps a bit of cwreative editing as to clothes."

"Hey…" Raj glared. "This is my adoptive American sister here, you little creep." Kripke, shrugging, heading back into the group around the Steins and President Siebert as Raj frowned, Lucy joining in frown, hand clasping his. Howard beside Penny, still posted on the edge of the group, tracking the Steins…Bernadette occasionally giving glance to keep him on said edge…

Dr. Francis, keeping his distance from the Steins on the opposite side of Siebert's train…Kindly nodding to an eager grad student asking about his upcoming advanced seminar…

Sure to be his finest pupil one day…He encouragingly told the young woman, glancing over at Amy now anxiously addressing herself to the phone.

"Sheldon? Sheldon, did you like it?" Amy urgently to Bernadette's phone…

"Oh, he liked it!" she cried, a few tears of joy...Bernadette beaming…

"What, Sheldon? Really?!"

"He wants it one more time!" she happily. Bernadette nodding approval.

"What? You'd like it the right way this time?" stare…

"Just how much did Leonard pay in 'support' to these guys to get them to let Amy sing with them?" Penny eyed Howard, low voice.

"Enough that they're backing her up on 'Soft Kitty'…" Howard noted, shrugging.

"Ok…That stops right now. Well, after Amy's all through 'Soft Kitty'. The Hofstadters support the arts but there are limits." Penny, sternly.

This from the artistic member of our merry band who's been hitting us up for free meals and accepting loans…And 'loans'…For years…Howard hissed to Raj. Now, she's suddenly budget conscious…

Uh…He blanched at Penny's dark look…

"Conscious of Leonard's budget…" Raj grinned, not seeing until too…Oops…

I think my mutism may be back, he eyed Penny's glare.

"Hey, Amy…" she hurriedly stepped over to Amy where she stood by the band… "I'll show you how… Taking phone… 'Soft Kitty. Warm kitty…'"

Susan across the room, seeming to instinctive sense, rather than actually hear…

Someone singing Soft Kitty…The right way?

"Ok, bestie, thanks…" Amy, repressing urge to grab phone…

"…Little ball of fur…"

"Thanks. I got it!" annoyed tone…

Penny a bit startled by the sudden grab…

"Uh…Sleepy kitty, happy kitty…" Amy, gently…

"What? What did I do?" Penny to Bernadette's frown… "Sheldon likes how I sing 'Soft Kitty'…"

"Would you want Amy to start singing 40s swing to Leonard, in that dress? Or dancing with him, maybe?" Bernadette frowned. "Just what is up with you and Sheldon and 'Soft Kitty', anyway?

Ummn…

Well…It's our song…Penny did not say…

And…No…I wouldn't…

Leonard likes 40s swing and dancing…And Amy is looking just a little too…

Oh…I get it, she blanched. Looking Amyward.

"…Purr, purr, purr…" Amy paused. "Is that…? Sheldon?" puzzled…"Sheldon? What is that? Were you recording me?…Wait. Is that someone on the other line?" frown…"…singing…?!" furious glance first to Penny who stared…

What?

Then…

Jesus…Penny blanched at Amy's enraged look across the room…Raj looking as well…Krishna, it's Shiva the Destroyer, come to life…

"She's very…Angry at someone?" Lucy, nervously. "It's not me, is it?"

"No. Not you…" Howard, staring over to where Susan Stein was currently singing into her own phone. Barry Kripke watching, frowning…Yet rather…

Just like that scene in "Las Vegas, a Ho Whoa II." where she sang…Though with clothes it's less effective…

Grimly icy… "Ok. Thank you..Dr. Stein, that was…Nice. Sheldon…I want you to say good night, hang up, and go to sleep…Now." Amy, to her phone…Clenching teeth as she spoke. "You need…Your rest. Now."

I think she's going to break that phone in a moment, Bernadette thought, staring.

Scared, really, really scared…Lucy hissed to Raj…

Me, too…He hissed back… "But we need to support Amy in her time of extreme wrath…Lest the blood on her hands be on our heads. She won't hurt us…I hope."

Ok…Lucy sighed.

Geesh, making new friends and having a lover is hard.

…

Uh, oh…Leonard, at Sheldon's bedside, staring as Sheldon hurriedly mumbled good night, thanks…Ladies? And closed his phone…

Soft Kitty…The Sheldonian way…This sounds like trouble, Hofstadter.

And trouble, when it's for someone else, is always entertaining…Grin.

Though, no…I suppose I don't want trouble for Sheldon and Amy…

Though I do want details…He settled back…

"Ok, you've had 'Soft Kitty' in multiple forms…" he began.

"Can't talk. Amy ordered me to go to…" Sheldon lay back…

"Sheldon!"

"But you heard…Goodnight, Leonard…" Covering head with sheet…

"Either you keep your word to tell me everything or I'm calling Amy this very moment…And given that she just heard your old girlfriend singing 'Soft Kitty' in authentic Sheldonian style…"

"Oh…Fine…" sigh, sitting up… "Well…It was a warm summer night…"

"Oh, we're going back to Greece again? I don't need your lecture in basic Physics."

"Debatable, but no…It was a warm summer night in Austin, Texas…"

"Oh…Really?" Leonard pulled closer… "Go on, please…" eagerly…

Buzz of phone…

"My phone, gotta answer…" Sheldon noted…Leonard sighing…

"Oh…" gulp. "Oh, hello, Susan."

Leonard on edge of seat…

What the…?!

"Uh, yes…It was a very nice rendition…Amy's was very good, too…What? Oh, much better…What?" panicky blinking…Pleading glance to Leonard…

"What?!" he hissed.

"She wants to come over!..." harsh whisper…

"No! No, no, no…!" Leonard waving arms.

"Leonard says no, no, no…Sorry. What? Oh, he's my roommate. Yes, the hobbity little guy you saw there earlier…"

Hmmn…? Leonard stared.

Is that good hobbity as in Elijah Wood cute? Or hobbity as in pathetic little guy…?

Of course, not important…Me being engaged and all…

Yep, that part of the life of the playa Leo…The ex-playa…Is over…

Sorry, ladies…The Hof is chained to the ball..And chain…

…..

"Where did she go?" Amy, frowning as she rejoined the others near Siebert's grand parade…

"Amy, that was…" Penny began…

"Yeah, yeah, I'm in as the new 'Soft Kitty' girl…Now where did Dr. Stein go?"

"Howard was keeping an eye on her…Within permissible limits…" Bernadette noted.

Hmmn…And come to speak of it…Where's Howard, now?…She looked nervously about.

"Dr. Stein, male, is still with Siebert…" Raj, puzzled. "You think maybe she needed to tinkle or something? She sure disappeared fast."

"She's up to something…" Amy shook head… "Oh, Dr. Francis warned me. But Howard's still on her case?"

"He better not be!" Bernadette, anxious… "Uh, well…I hope he's still keeping track. Let me see if I can call…" Buzz before she could pull phone…

Ah…That's my boy…She contentedly eyed the live video he was sending…From a safe distance, of Dr. Stein, now in the restroom corridor, away from most prying eyes, on phone, talking eagerly.

"Let me see that…" Amy peered. "Oh, that witch! She's seducing my fiancée!" She turned…

"Amy…" Penny urged. "It's just a phone call…"

"Just a phone call?! I'm not a fool! She softkittyed him and now she's following up with old tales of their days together, then…The Physicist of Porn really struts her stuff! Oh, I'm putting her paralyzed body in a box marked 'bound for Bangkok' right now!" Amy, furious.

She knows a surprising lot about the modern porn industry, Raj thought…

"Amy, calm down…" Penny insisted. "This isn't the way…"

"Right…" scornful tone… "Miss…'Oh, I'm not concerned about that scheming little…Lawyer'…" she eyed Raj… "'…from India…' then it's 'she's goin' down…'"

"Sorry…" she gave Raj sheepish look. Raj shrugging…Well, Priya does do the scheme thing a bit…

"Ok…Ok…" Penny, soothingly. "You're absolutely right, Amy. I was terrible…And you don't want to repeat my mistake."

"What mistake? She's out and you're in like Flynn. Score one for paranoia and stalking with friends."

"So…You were a spy that night…I thought so…" Raj, to Bernadette, shrewdly. She looking embarrassed.

"They made me…I was a nice girl till I hooked up with them." She insisted, nervous glance to Lucy as well. Lucy eyeing Raj…

"Amy, you can't go over and whatever you're saying you'll do to one of Cal Tech's guests of honor…" Penny, sighing.

Amy, narrow glance…"Oh. I get it. The future Mrs. Dr. Hofstadter would be 'embarrassed' if her bestie were caught neutrally paralyzing and kidnapping her rival. We can't have our hubby's career put in jeopardy, can we?"

Uh…Well, actually…I was kinda considering that…Penny thought, sheepishly. As Bernadette blinked…

I mean…The Hofstadter name's kinda in my care now…And if my lil' honey is ever gonna be whatever they call Dr. Gablehauser? Chairman of the department?

President of Cal Tech…? Faint smile…

On the other hand, a little scandal impugning the family name of a potential rival like Sheldon wouldn't be so…No, what am I doin'?! Penny blinked…Sighing…

"Amy, honestly…If you think she's puttin' the moves on Sheldon, I'll help you take her out…" pause to Amy's eager look. "In a non-violent manner of speakin'…But not here and not without really seein' if this is really something to be upset about. I mean…" she eyed her. "You trust Sheldon, don't you?"

Amy, frown…Then sigh…Sad look… "I said I did…Just a half hour ago…I guess you're right, Penny." Wan look. "I'm just so frightened…She's so pretty…And they have history."

"Sheldon loves you, Amy." Bernadette, decisively. "He's not a guy to chasing after women…Trains, maybe…But not women."

"Gee…That makes me feel better…" Amy, eyeing her. Vague growl of chuckle… "I'm kidding…" faint smile. "Ok, guys. I won't do the nerve pinch…Yet…Here…" grin. "After all, Sheldon would want to see me as a Vulcan." Genuine grin.

"So what do I do?" sigh…

"First, we join Howard and get a eye on that skank…" Penny smiled.

Definitely join Howard, Bernadette, eagerly.

"Raj? Can you and Lucy hold the fort here till the party's over? Watch if Susan rejoins the group? Or her dad?" Penny addressed him.

"Oui, mon captaine…" he nodded. "But keep us informed." Lucy nodding eagerly.

"We'll check in periodically. We might need you later anyhow…She's bigger than I am." Penny noted.

Lucy, shyly smiling at the accolade…

So when our gang needs a little extra "muscle"...

"After all, I never said we wouldn't ship her off to wherever you said…Later…" Penny eyed Amy, smiling.

"Hello, ladies…Dr. Koothrapali…" Dr. Stein had come over while they talked…Looking a bit concerned.

"Have you seen my daughter? I think she was worried about Dr. Cooper and wanted to check with you, Dr. Fowler?" Stein eyed Amy.

"Oh?" Amy, affecting nonchalance…

"She didn't come to speak to you?"

"I haven't spoken to her in a little while…She did ask briefly about Sheldon. But, I've no idea where she headed off afterwards."

"All right…" Stein sighed. "Well, thank you…" smile… "You are a truly astonishing woman, Amy…Sheldon is very lucky…You remind me of your grandmother so very much." Warm smile. "If any of you do see Susan, please tell her I'm looking for her?" Kindly nod. He headed back toward Siebert's group. The party now just beginning to break up.

"Damn, girl…" Penny eyed Amy. "You're the one who belongs in the spy game. Cool as a cucumber, that's you."

"I was warned about Dr. Stein…" Amy, a bit distracted…

Lying not coming naturally to her, except in cases of Sheldonian urgency…

"About Dr. Stein? Frankenstein, not the daughter?" Penny, puzzled. Looking over to where Dr. Stein was now politely offering his good night to President Siebert and Dr. Gablehauser and other faculty…"What, did Sheldon say something?"

"Dr. Francis, earlier…Penny, lets go execute your plan." Impatient insistence. "I can't wait here, not knowing if Susan Stein hasn't already tried to cast her net for Sheldon. She could be on her way over there now…I'm sure she was calling him in Howard's video."

"Ok, fine…" Penny, soothing hand up… "Lets go. But look, why don't you call Sheldon while we head to Howard?"

"Yeah…" Uh…Amy, hesitating with phone in hand… "You don't think he'll think I don't trust him? Cause I do trust him…"

"Of course you do…" Penny nodded sagely. "It's just, knowing he's a guy…Even if a Sheldon guy…He's likely to do something stupid that will ruin your relationship. Just tell him something about how worried you are about him and slip in a question or two about what the hell that woman was doing softkittying him. Unlike me, a dear and utterly trustworthy friend.." she added, hastily.

"You mean lie to him…" Amy sighed, eyeing the phone. Bernadette, glancing to Penny…

Oh…This den of Pasadenian iniquity…

"Amy…" Penny shook her head… "Dear, sweet Amy…If you're really going to have a lasting, solid relationship with Sheldon Cooper or any guy. You're going to be learning how to lie. Trust me."

"How do I know that's not a lie… 'Trust me'…?" Amy, shrewdly.

"That's the way, girl." Penny smiled. Amy, careful frown…Bernadette, distressed.

"I don't want to be that way, Penny… I don't want to become someone who lies to her beloved. Outside of getting him to stop his idiotic behavior tics from time to time for his own good, of course…Or to her friends. Don't say you want me that way…?" Pleading look. Bernadette eyeing her as well…

Oh…Penny eyed the sad face… Oh, she's right…When my best friend in this world besides my hobbity one is right, she's right.

"No…No, Amy…I don't…Forget everything I said. It's wrong."

Narrow look… "It's this California…I never lied before I came…But here, in this business of mine…Acting and all…"

Amy eyeing her…Bernadette eyeing her…

Really? Both, hard stare…

"Ok…" Penny shrugged. "That's a lie too…I lied all the time in Nebraska. Oh, I'm the worst person to have as a bestie, bestie."

"No…It's ok, Penny." Amy, patting her… "I know you only lie because you're afraid of losing people…Wanting them to like you. But lets promise not to lie to each other and our honeys, ok?"

"Yeah…" Penny beamed…

"Yeah…" Bernadette nodded, much relieved…

Uh… "Could we make that '…to each other', guys?" Penny, sheepishly "…I may still have to tell Leonard a little, teenie-weeny lie or two over time. Just to make things easier for him about my old guys and such…And about my credit…And my family…And…"

"Yeah, you better." Amy nodded. "We'll keep it between us. Right, Bernadette?"

"I suppose once in while I will have to fudge the truth a little to Howie…About his mom, at least…" sigh. "Sure…" nod.

"I won't lie on anything big or important to Leonard…Please say you believe that…?" Penny, to both…

"Of course…" "Sure…" warm smile, nod…

Amy immediately giving her a narrow look…

"You do understand you are never softkittying Sheldon again without my permission and my presence…And only because my vocals are shot due to illness or surgery?"

"Understood…" sigh…

No more Kitty for Penny?...Oh…

Well, I can sing it to Leonard now…She thought, pleased at the notion…Hmmn, she eyed the band, now packing up…

Really shoulda gotten that jazzed version…Leonard'd appreciate that.

Me lil' future President of Cal Tech…

Heck, Sheldon would never want the job anyway…She followed Amy and Bernadette, Bernadette nearly as antsy to reach Howard quickly now as Amy …

Hmmn…Howard…Penny pondered…

Nah, they'd never put him in…

Though Rajesh, now…There's a definite challenger, now that he can speak to the female students and faculty. Heck his mummy and daddy could buy the place as a wedding present if they ever get reconciled to Lucy…

Aw, geesh, what am I doin'?...She hurried after the others…

….

"So?" Leonard eyed Sheldon as he put down phone.

"She says she'll see me tomorrow. Make sure the front door is double locked. Until Amy gives her special knock…" Sheldon insisted.

"Special knock…?"

"Three fast raps…One 'Sheldon'…Then four fast raps…Then two 'Sheldon's…"

"Wait…Amy is coming over now?" Leonard stared.

"We're engaged…Grow up, Leonard."

"Fine…" frown. "Now as to that warm summer night in Austin, Texas…And Dr. Stein being your first…Dungeons and dragons coplayer?" Leonard, a bit archly.

"Very funny…But I played with Meemaw and Pawpaw…And they even got my sister Missy to play…"

"Ok, fine…But…? 'It was a warm summer night…?'" Leonard pulled chair in again, leaning forward.

"My God, you have a relish for the sordid gossip, Leonard…My Meemaw'll put you with the chatterbox ladies, as she calls some ladies at her senior center. 'Cause they love to chatter…"

" 'Hello, Amy…I wanted to tell you…Something…'" Leonard mimicked holding a phone to head.

"…I'd just lost Dr. Brown…" sigh… "My best friend…The one man who could 'advise' me…"

"Oh, right…Before Frankenstein, Doc Brown was in charge of the Sheldon monster…" Leonard grinned.

"Sorry…" he put up a hand at Sheldon's genuine look of annoyance… "I know Dr. Brown meant a lot to you. So, you were feeling kinda low and not happy with a new adviser…"

"I suppose I can't blame Dr. Stein…He tried to befriend me. He even came to my room in off-campus housing…I could not live in those dorms…When I hadn't come out except for my classes for a few weeks. He said Missy had come by and was worried and he made me come over to his house for dinner and told me I was taking his daughter Susan to the movies."

"Forced to date Susan Stein…A nightmare…So it was your first date…?"

"With nonfamily…Mom made me take my cousin Eleanor to the store once."

"I see…So…" eager lean forward… "Not the first…Date…?"

"You're really quite the two year old regards scandal, aren't you?" Sheldon, sour look. "You know you say you hate watching that 'Scandal' show with Penny but I think you're the one who actually likes it."

"Did Penny tell you that? I just admire it for the quality of the writing…"

"Oh, please…"

"Well, come on then…Remember, Meemaw says confession's good for the soul…" high-minded tone.

"Fine…We went to the movies…Terrible film, something about romance…But Susan did surprise me. She was reasonably intelligent and even knew some physics, from her father. But she wasn't happy, either…Her parents had split up and she was angry at her father."

"Yeah, they say that sorta thing can bring two people together…So…?"

Sheldon, rolling eyes… "What is it with you, Hofstadter? You know Penny loves you too much to ever think it but you're the Capt Kirk of our little Enterprise crew, not Wolowitz."

Really? Eager beam…

"Not in things paintball or involving organizational strategy, God knows…But when we need a randy little fellow who's ready to see an extra girl on the side, call on Hofstadter."

"Sheldon." Frown. "That's…Well, it could be worse." Grin… Frown again…"Come on, I'm not that bad. I'd never hurt Penny, you're being unfair…After all, I'm not the one who gave it away…" grin…

Glare…

"Ok…" Leonard put up a hand… "Sorry. But you were being unfair, a little…With that Kirk thing."

"And you loved it…" Sheldon frowned.

"Well…Just a little…Come on, Sheldon. For a few years in my otherwise utterly geekish existence I actually on a few occasions managed to get a great girl to see me…Well, to see me."

"All the girls see you Leonard." Sheldon shook his head. "You just lacked confidence…You can say 'thank you, Sheldon' now."

"For what?"

"How sharper than a serpent's tooth is an ungrateful apprentice in the social graces..."

"Say what?" Leonard stared…

Sheldon, arch stare…"Leonard. Need I point out that your success with women began under my care…That your first long-term relationships coalesced within the magic of my benevolent, if barely detectable guidance, that your hopefully, at last, crystallized, roller coaster of a journey to what may be a solid and lasting partnership with the woman who truly needs you most of all women in this world was nurtured, cherished, and brought to fruition by me. I have had your rather frail back all these years and it has been one long and weary journey, brother. But…" benevolent nod. "You and Penny are welcome…Just don't screw up it now that I've got my own heart to tend to…"

"Oh…Excuse me, what?!" Leonard, stunned…

"The training wheels are off, Hofstadter…You are out of my nest…Now, fly…And be good to your mate or Lord knows I'll hear it from Amy and have to deal with it. And I must say I am ready to lay my weary burden of carrying your heart down."

Unnnh… "Sheldon." Sigh at the expectant face… "Never mind. Just go on…"

"Right then…" nod. "It was a warm summer night in Austin…"

"Sheldon!"

"I kissed her. I liked it. There…Now you know…" downcast stare… "Susan Stein was the first girl I ever enjoyed kissing…Leonard, you can't tell Amy. She can't know I've kept this from her."

Leonard staring…

"Oh…I see. Well, sure…Your guilty secret is safe with…Sheldon?! That's it? You kissed her when you were thirteen and you liked it?"

"She did too, obviously…" sly grin…

Hmmn…Point there…

"And there is the fact that I said I would marry her when we grew up if she hadn't found anyone else…Though she probably would, I told her. I was quite the cynic at thirteen. But she swore she wouldn't and she'd prove it to me…And I swore if she did…On Pawpaw's soul…On Pawpaw's soul, Leonard." Genuinely distressed look… "And now…Here she is, come to collect…"

"Sheldon…Buddy…Look…It's not really that big a deal." Leonard patted him. "I mean…Susan Stein? She's been a porn star for crying out loud."

"Oh, for Heaven's sake…" Sheldon glared, fuming…Leonard pulling back in his seat… "That's just sex…I'm talking real feeling and commitments here. Really, I know your mother was a bit insane and abusive and I've done what I could to repair the emotional damage…"

"You have…?"

"…But sometimes I can't help feeling she's absolutely right about you and this shallow obsession with sex…You know I have to wonder if you're really ready to help Penny as a soulmate and partner, Leonard."

"...repair the what?" Leonard stared.


	11. Chapter 11

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XI…

Meanwhile the carefully positioned Howard had found himself documentary witness to an interesting scene…Susan Stein, on closing phone, approached by Dr. Francis…She, away from the glare of Siebert's cavalcade, clearly not eager to renew acquaintance, though very much aware of several males...And females…Trying to casually catch a glimpse of her alone in the corridor.

"Susan…Sorry we've not had the chance to speak together tonight." Francis, beaming congeniality.

"Xavier…" coolly. "I don't really think we have anything to say to each other."

"Now, Sue…" slyly reproving tone… "We're all going to be together here again for at least six months…We should be on speaking terms, after all."

"I said hello. I shook your hand and smiled. Dad asked me to and I did. I don't see any need for us to be chummy, Xavier." She frowned.

Howard, fascinated…Maintaining zoom with occasional glances round to see if the focus of his attention had been noted. Nothing like being able to soup up your camera phone with a micro Sound Cannon 5000…

"Susan…For what's passed between us, I accept my share of the blame…" Xavier sighed, earnest expression.

"Fine. Thanks. I'm leaving now, after I say goodnight to Dad. I'll probably see you next week."

"Not waiting for Francis…?"

"He needs to do the full leave-taking thing…I don't and I'm tired." She turned.

"I'd almost think you had a rendezvous scheduled, Susan." Xavier, the slightest edge of mockery. "Sheldon Cooper, by any chance?" call as she passed him…

Say what…? Howard blinked as Dr. Stein froze, eyeing Dr. Francis.

"Go to hell, Xavier…" she grimly muttered and continued on, pasting a smile as she emerged from the corridor.

"Get anything good, Wolowitz?" Kripke's voice suddenly caused Howard to jump a bit in his concealed corner. "I got some excellwent pics of hwer…Maybe we could pwool our rwesources, eh? A video with appwropwriate backgwround music fwrom hwer films?"

"Barry, go away…" Howard sighed. "I'm just taking a few shots of the party for Bernie before we leave."

"Suwre, suwre…I've got nothing against thwreesomes…Fantasy or othewrwise…" leer.

"Don't make me break this over your head." Howard glared. "Bernie really wanted some pictures from tonight."

"Whatever, Wolowitz…" Kripke, heading off in pursuit of Susan, she now pausing to exchange a word with a faculty member and peering round, presumably for her father. After a moment, she turned and headed for the main entrance, exiting…

Now what the hell was that? Howard pondered…

"Quite a beauty, isn't she? Pity she seems in a rush to leave us…" He turned to see Dr. Francis smiling at him.

"Uh…"

"I'd've taken a few pictures myself…I really must come into the 21st century and get one of those things." He nodded at Howard's phone.

"Well, just taking a few of the party…My wife asked…"

"You're a friend of Leonard Hofstadter's aren't you? I saw him with you this evening...And you with his fiancée and that very charming microbiologist."

"Yes, my wife, Bernadette Rostenkowski-Wolowitz…I'm Howard Wolowitz, nice to meet you, sir."

"I understand Dr. Cooper became ill and Leonard took him home earlier…Fine fellow, young Hofstadter. I look forward to working with him again. A brilliant student back at Princeton."

"I'm sure he's glad you think so, Doctor. He's been talking about you quite a bit." Howard, smiling.

"Yes, well…Nice to know he remembers me so fondly. It seems Susan has rather fond memories of Cooper as well."

Ummn?...Howard stared…

"So what is your field, Dr. Wolowitz? Do you work with Hofstadter and Cooper?"

"Well, I'm an engineer here…"

"Ah…Well, I suppose some of us have to be…" Francis nodded pleasantly. "Excuse me." He continued on, back toward Siebert's slowly diminishing group as a nonplused Howard stared after him. Amy, Bernadette, and Penny coming through from the crowd, Dr. Francis nodding to them as he passed.

"Howie…" Bernadette, pleased to see him alone…Femalewise…

"Howard, where is the skank?" Amy, curtly. "I mean, our guest of honor…?" at Penny's look.

"She just headed out…" Howard began.

"Out?!" Amy stared.

Penny sighing…Uh-boy.

"Where is 'out'?!"

"I don't know…She told Dr. Francis she was tired and heading out, then a minute later she went out the door, to wherever she and Frankenstein have the new castle, I guess."

"Sheldon?" Amy had pulled phone… "Sheldon…Sheldon…Sheldon…I know you can hear me, I hear Leonard's wheezy breathing…"

Penny immediately pulling her phone…Dialing…

Bernadette, glance to Howard, rolling eyes…

"Leonard?" Penny, anxiously. "Are you all right? Amy says you're wheezing. Honey, use your inhaler. Well, why don't you…? Well, go and… Whadaya mean, Sheldon tricked you and you can't find your glasses?" she frowned.

"Sheldon, tell me the truth? Is Susan Stein coming over? I know she's not there now because Leonard would be the one on the phone trying to make some silly evasion…"

"Hey?!" Penny glared at Amy. "You tell that scheming skinny fiancée of yours to get my honey's inhaler and his glasses, now!"

"What do you mean…Scheming?" Amy fumed. "Sheldon doesn't scheme…Like some fiancées I could name."

"Oh, really?!" Penny, sarcastically… "How about the time he and his little partner in schemin', namely you, schemed that poor Priya with his 'self-destruct' email?"

"That was my scheme…I admit, for a novice, I was good." Amy nodded. "But my Sheldon doesn't scheme…In spite of Leonard's balefully scheming influence…"

"Leonard's what?" Penny, angrily. "The only reason you're on the damned phone now is because you think Sheldon's gone and made a date with Susie the porn physicist…"

Oh…Amy trembling…Silent…Her lip quivering…Tearing…

Uh…

"Amy…" Penny, gasping… "I'm sorry…I was upset about Leonard. I didn't mean it."

"Oh…" sobbing sound from Amy's phone… "Amy…Amy…I'm sorry…" Sheldon's voice…

Amy looking at phone, then Penny, then phone…Stunned silent, a long moment as Sheldon's sobs continued audibly.

"No. I guess you were right." She finally said, woodenly. "Sheldon. Get Leonard his inhaler and his glasses, please. Have a nice time with Dr. Stein." She closed phone.

"Amy…Amy, no…" Penny, anxious…Glance to tearful Bernadette, stunned Howard.

"I'm sure he didn't…He wouldn't…Call him back."

"He was crying…I caught him in a lie and he was crying and trying to…She's off to see him." Amy looked at her, voice flat. Deep sigh…Dull look, all the life of the evening gone from her…

"Well…I should be getting home. Howard? I'm sorry to make you leave early…"

"Amy, let me take you…" Penny, tears running now… "Please, you can't…We should talk…We have to talk…"

"No, it's fine…" flat voice… "Sheldon's free to do as he wishes. I was pressing him…After all, she was first, I guess…" pause. "Uh…Bernadette, I'm sorry if you wanted to…"

"No…It's fine…" Bernadette gently. "The party's over anyway." Howard uncertainly nodding…

"Yeah…Quite a night…" Amy nodded, sadly… "Well, at least I can take these damned things off now…" she kicked the heels off. Glancing over to a clock on the far wall… "It's after midnight now anyway…And the magic's over…" Weeping…Penny embracing her…

"Amy, Amy…" rocking her…


	12. Chapter 12

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XII…

"Penny, you've got to put Amy back on…" Leonard, wheezing a bit on phone…

"I'm all right, yes, Sheldon's getting my inhaler…What? She left with Bernadette and Howard? Was she…?"

Oh, no…He sighed, closing eyes. Sheldon, you idiot.

"Crying? Penny, Susan Stein isn't coming over…That's not what Sheldon was upset about. Penny? Penny, don't cry…Penny? Sheldon!" he called out the open door of Sheldon's bedroom where he still sat.

"What?!"

"Get my inhaler, now!"

"Ok, ok…" grumble…

"Penny, he's getting it…What? No, I'm not going to die…Penny? What the hell? Yes, I promise I won't die on you…Oh, Penny…What? Yes…I mean no, she isn't coming. That I know of…He was upset for another reason. Sure, sure…I'll call Howard right now…Just, please stop crying…Penny…" he dialed frantically.

"Howard, Leonard. Where are you? Ok… Put Amy on, please? It's important. I don't care if she doesn't feel liking talking! Penny's crying, she has to listen! Amy! Amy, you've got to listen. Sheldon's not interested in Susan Stein…Amy? Look, I'm really starting…To…Wheeze…I…"

Oh, God…He gasped…I can't…I can't die now…I promised Penny I wouldn't die… "Sheldon!"

"Oh, my God! Leonard!" Sheldon ran to him…Helping him with the inhaler…

What is that screaming sound?...He picked up the phone dropped by Leonard… "Hello? Amy! Amy, I think I have to get Leonard to the hospital…The inhaler's not stopping his attack! Yes, yes, call 911! Yes, Penny? Penny, stop screaming, please! Amy?! Right, yes…I've given him his inhaler…Amy, don't go. Ok, Howard's calling 911…Thanks, right. It's ok, he's wheezing badly but he says it's not as bad. Penny, please?! I don't know, he says it's better. Amy? Thank you…"

Uh…Huh…Huh…Leonard gasped… "Let …Me…Talk…"

"Amy, he's a little better but he's afraid for Penny…Can you...? Thank you." He sighed.

"There's the ambulance…" he eyed Leonard, listening… Leonard nodding…Struggling to catch breath…

"I'll…Be…Ok…" he wheezed…Faint smile. "Don't…Blow…This…" he eyed Sheldon.

"Leonard?" frown…

"I'm…Not…Fak…ing…But…" he waved hand. "Make…Use…"

"Ok…Just calm down…" Sheldon, stroking him. "It's a good idea…I will…" nod.

"Don't…Worry…"

"You won't die now, I get it…Too much to live for and all that nonsense." Sheldon nodded. "Fine just sit back and relax, the EMTs will be here in a minute. Amy?" he spoke into the phone. "Ok, he's settling down…The EMTs are here. Penny, I'm sure he'll be ok. Yes, I promise…I do…Ok, Rajesh and Lucy are with you? They'll bring you to the hospital…Good. Yes, Amy is coming of course. See?" he noted as Amy cut in with an extremely positive response. "Thanks, Amy. No, Penny, I'm not going off the phone…I'm right here with Leonard, don't worry. Ok, I hear the EMTs knocking…I have to go. Amy? Thanks…I'll see you at the hospital. No, Penny, I said I wouldn't go off the phone…I'm right here, I just have to let the EMTs in…Of course…" he rose…Looking at Leonard who nodded and waved at him…I'm ok, go.

"Yes, Penny, I'm going straight to the door…Oh…" he eyed Susan in the doorway, she in the moment of a first knock.

"Is anything wrong, Shelbot?" she eyed his stricken face…

"God, what the hell are you doing here?!" he glared at her. "Go away! Avaunt! Be gone! Oh, not you…" he eyed the two EMTs, carrying collapsed gurney, staring at him from behind her. "You come in…" he waved them in.

"Go!" he cried to Susan, rather furious now…

She, crestfallen, turning away as he led the EMTs into the bedroom…But pausing…Wandering into the living room as the three raced in to Leonard.

Looking round…Then stepping round as the sounds of the EMTs questioning both Sheldon and Leonard came to her…She pausing at various pictures. Eyeing one of Leonard and Sheldon, then one of Amy…

Ruefully looking round…But still hesitating…

The team, Sheldon anxiously following, wheeling Leonard out…He with mask strapped…

"No, no chance of using the elevator…" he was telling them. Glaring at Susan…

"You've got the O2 too high." Susan noted, eyeing the regulator. "Sorry, Sheldon, but these guys usually do that…My dad has mild emphysema…I wanted to be sure they turned it down a bit."

He stared at her wan smile… "Right, turn it down, please?" he addressed the EMTs.

"Good, I'll get going now." Susan nodded. "Sorry to have intruded." She headed out the door…Leonard lifting head to stare a bit.

"Oh, come on…!" Sheldon frowned at Leonard.

….

Pasadena Memorial Hospital…ER waiting room…

"He's going to be fine…He'll be fine…He'll be fine…" Penny, over and over…Raj and Lucy standing with her, arms round her.

"Amy!" she cried, as Amy and Bernadette entered, Howard following…Running to her, embracing… "Oh, Amy…Say he'll be all right?!"

"He will…" Amy rocked her… "Penny, he's been through too much to die now…Not Leonard Hofstadter."

"Right, right…" Penny, dazed… "Oh, why can't we go in…Howard?"

"On it…Raj?" Howard nodded to him, both heading over to the ER desk.

Sheldon emerging from the ER doorway…Penny looking to him…

"He'll be fine. He will. It's fine." He noted.

"Oh…" Penny, sobbing…Embracing him… "Thanks, thankyou, ohthanks, ohSheldon, Sheldon thank you…Can we…?"

"Mission accomplished…" Howard had come over… "Come on, Penny…" he smiled. "Bernie?"

"Oh, Raj and Lucy too…" Penny insisted…

"If they throw us out, they throw us out…" Raj, nodded…Lucy as well nodding…

"Sure…" Howard nodded.

"Sheldon?" Penny turned to him.

"We'll be right here." Sheldon nodded. She smiled, nodding…Letting the others lead her in…

"Good job…" Amy, wan smile, patting him…

"You come over here…" he eyed her sternly…Pulling her over to an empty area in the ER.

She reluctantly following…

"I dated Susan when I was thirteen." He noted quietly. "I kissed her and I enjoyed it and…I'm sorry, that's what I was upset about. I should have told you before she came, but I was hoping she'd forgotten it all, she knowing so many men…"

"But only one Sheldon Cooper…" Amy eyed him... "And?"

"And she asked me to marry her and I accepted…Amy, it's not the same and I was serious tonight, not drunk, not being funny. I want to marry you."

She sighed, eyeing him…Wan smile. "Only you got the real reason I was so upset…"

"I shouldn't've let it seem like a joke…But you were hard to pin down on a commitment. Coital rendezvous seemed like your main goal, sometimes. I wanted a commitment."

She nodded… "And Susan wasn't coming over?"

"You know she wanted to…" calm stare. "And she tried to. But I didn't ask her to and I tole her to go. Leonard was busying staring death in the face but that's the truth."

"But you do love her, don't you? You did then and you do now."

"I love her as my poor friend who's had a lot of trouble and who loved me when I needed someone to…Not as I love you, Amy. Please, say you believe me and marry me, Amy. My train girl…" he eyed her.

She staring… "You remembered, of course…Your eidetic memory…You knew all along."

"No, I didn't…I didn't get a good look at you on the train from New York. Just your poor sister…How is she, by the way?"

"Lets leave Charlotte for another day…" Amy, hastily…"So, if you didn't see me on the train…"

"Meemaw recognized you from the picture Mom gave her of us a few months ago…And I saw you at the station, Penn Station in New York. When I filed my application with the train people to save the station before we left for Maine on the train you were on. You were the girl who told them you'd complain if they threw my petition out. It didn't seem important, but the memory is there. You have been stalking me, Amy Farrah Fowler…" he frowned. "I didn't want to mention it, since it didn't seem to be a problem but now…You concealed it from me, Amy. You lied on your internet profile and you lied when you said you'd never met me."

"I thought you might be frightened if you knew…" she sighed. "If you knew I've been following you around for years, keeping track of you."

"That's the definition of a stalker…"

"And a lover…Sheldon, I've loved you since I was 11 years old and it's only gotten stronger since the day an angel from Heaven was so kind to my poor sister…" she closed her eyes. "I went to the University of Austin just to see you again, I came to Cal Tech the moment a chance opened up…And when Raj and Howard put that profile of you up…I saw my chance and took it, knowing I might scare you off forever…But I had to try." she bent head… "I never thought anything as beautiful as you would come to me…So I came to you."

"Naturally…" he eyed her, arch look.


	13. Chapter 13

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

(The full story of Amy's and her tragic if unbalanced sister's encounter with Sheldon can be found in my Sheldon-narrated tale "Gran Mag" and the story of his eidetic memory's first capture of Amy at Penn Station in "It's a Reasonably Bearable Existence" which also tells the story of his relationship with his first adviser, Dr. Brown.)

Part XIII…

Raj emerged from the ER doors to see Sheldon sitting by Amy…Amy leaning on his shoulder. They looked up to see his relieved face.

"Leonard's all right?" Amy, anxiously…

He nodded, with wry smile… "Yes…And to a certain extent, no…"

"What?" Sheldon frowned… Lucy frowning at Raj who grinned…

"He's married, dude…I'm sorry, they wouldn't let us cram anyone else into his spot in the ER or we'd've got you…"

"Married…?" Amy blinked.

"By us…Me and Bernadette, that is…We are still officially ordained, you know." grin. "Penny wasn't going to wait another second…She's truly sorry but there was no way to squeeze you in. Of course, without license and all that, it's still technically not official. You are still slated for best man, Sheldon." Smile… "And I'm afraid Amy is once again saddled with maid of honor…"

"Really?" beam… "Oh, we can be each other's maids…" eagerly, then pause. "Well, Bernadette should have her chance at glory, poor thing."

"She'll be busy officiating again…Penny wants us to handle the official ceremony. However, she says from this night forward…It's Penny Hofstadter."

"She also says…" Howard, hearing as he emerged from the ER, with Bernadette… " 'My husband needs his rest, get out'…"

"Which we understand, completely…" Bernadette, beaming…Eyeing Amy and Sheldon…

Phew…I see quiet on that front as well…

Good, cause lil' Ms. Wolowitz is about ready for beddy-bye. After an hour or two of torrid passion with lil' Mr. Wolowitz, that is…

"Everything's ok, here I gather?" Howard eyed Sheldon…

"If Amy says so, yes…"

"She says so…" Amy nodded, beaming.

"Is there a Sheldon and Amy Fowler-Cooper here?" a nurse called from the ER door.

"That's my bestie…" Amy beamed. "Lets go, Moonpie." She rose, holding hand out to Sheldon who took it gently, caressing it…Kissing a long moment. Rising and heading into the ER with her as the others watched, a bit startled.

"Dr. Praetorius…" Raj bowed to Howard… "Dr. Frankenstein…" Howard returned bow…Both high-fiving…

"Dude, the creation of relationships is enthralling…Simply enthralling…" Raj grinned.

"Speaking of Frankenstein…" Dr. Stein's voice, rather cheerily from behind them…

….

"So, Dad…I promise we'll do all the official stuff soon as we…Dad?" Penny sighed, smiling, tears dribbling a bit… "Are you crying? Leonard?..." she turned to Leonard, lying on his ER cubicle bed, oxygen line to nose… "My daddy's crying for joy…Oh…" Amy beside her, hugging...Oh...

Oh, Lord...Sheldon rolled eyes.

"Lets hope so… I mean…I know so…" Leonard, quickly correcting at Penny's frown.

"Oh…" she blinked at the phone. "Well, Dad, you don't have to do that…Leonard and I…Well, Leonard…Can take care of the wedding…We…Well, Leonard…Wouldn't have it any other…Well…"

Hmmn? Oh, if Dad wants to express his joy…Leonard stared…

Who am I to stand in Dad's way? Grin to Sheldon...

"Leonard? Dad wants to pay for the wedding…He's insisting…"

Oh, I clearly died tonight and this is either Heaven or the dream before everything shuts down for good…

"Uh, well…If he really feels he must…"

"Oh, thank you, honey. He'll be so pleased…" she patted him. "Dad? Leonard says if you really feel that way…Ok. Ok, good. Can we have everybody? All our friends here? Well…"

Hmmn…I don't think seven…Eight if we include Alex, as a nice gesture…

"Well, there's our gang…And all the folks in Leonard's department at Cal Tech…And his bosses, the Chairguy, Dr. Gablehauser and the President of Cal Tech, Dr. Siebert, and their guys…Dad…" Penny grinned… "A bunch of the world's leading scientists are coming to your lil' slugger's wedding…Can you believe it? Oh and some of my friends…And some wealthy guys…Alumni, Leonard?.."

He stared…Nodding blankly…

The whole department, Dr. Gablehauser, President Siebert…And wealthy alumni?

"Alumni, Dad…Of the Physics department and anyone President Siebert suggests…I'll get a list from him…Oh..." she eyed Amy beside her.

She'll get a list? From President Siebert? Leonard stared…

My god…I have a manager…He blinked…Slowly grinning…

And a damn good one…

"Sheldon and I can do something separately. Don't worry about, bestie." Amy, quickly.

Penny put up a hand... "Dad? Sheldon and Amy are getting married too. Yeah, the crazy roommate...We wanted to do a double...Oh, thanks, Daddy!"

Sheldon, nonplused...

"I was tested...Leonard?"

"He says fine, more the merrier..." Penny hissed to Amy...

"Your dad can really cover all this?" Amy blinked...

And couldn't cover your last five years here...She did not say...

"I have money...We'll take care of our half..." Sheldon cut in.

Amy, looking away...

Well...Given that money could take us to Paris for a honeymoon and pay a downpayment on a nice townhouse...

"Mom will want to have her minister..." Sheldon noted. "And my family will insist on coming...Any event with free food and booze, they're there."

"Well, ok, Sheldon...We'll work it out later..." Penny nodded.

Right...So much for Paris...Amy sighed.

"We'd have to do it here, I think…Is that ok, Dad? Great…You decide who from the family…Excuse me…" Penny paused. Assuming regal air befitting the wife of Dr. Leonard Hofstadter… "I mean, Whom, Father… From the family to invite, ok? Well, if they can't fly we can put em in a rental van. Uh…No. Probably not a good idea to invite anyone with a drug conviction or a rap sheet in general. Well, that sure narrows it down, eh?" grin. "Say it, Daddy…I know you want to…My lil' Mrs. Penny Hofstadter…Oh! Daddy!" she sobbed. "But oh, you know…You know…I'll always be your lil' slugger. Won't I, Leonard?" she looked to him.

Uh… "Yeah…Suuree." Leonard nodded.

Sheldon eyeing Amy who'd glanced at him... "I'll have Leonard's mother explain later...Interesting case of parental expectation and gender role affect."

"He wants to talk to you…Dad, Leonard's very tired, don't kill him on me, please? Ok…Ok…I love you, too, Daddy!" Penny handed phone to Leonard.

"Just…" she waved hands to indicate "...keep it short…

"Sure…" he nodded. "Hey…Dad…Yeah…Well, a surprise to us too…Though we knew it would be comin'. No, I'm a little tired and dizzy but fine. Just a little of the usual stuff with Sheldon…Nothing serious but the party and Penny accepting my proposal…Bit much for me. What? Oh, sure…Pace myself on the honeymoon. Right. What? Oh, well, really…"

"What? And not much longer…!" Penny hissed.

"He wants to pay for our honeymoon…Anywhere we want to go…" he hissed.

"Oh…Wow…Well…" she began…

Paris, say Paris...Amy thought, anxiously...

"We really don't want to impose, sir…Dad…I mean the wedding alone…What?" he looked at Penny as she whacked the bed.

Glaring at him…Amy as well...

"If Daddy wants to do this…" she hissed.

"Penny…I'm getting a little…" he gasped…She dived for the bed's intercom buzzer, whanging and took the phone.

"Dad?! It's great of you. We'll talk about it later, ok?! Leonard's very grateful but he wants to think it over…That's the kind of guy he is, right? Right? Oh, I know…I know! Thanks, Daddy! Love ya!"

She grabbed the buzzer squeezing… "Nurse! Goddamn!" Startling Sheldon and Amy with her vehemence.

"Penny…I'm not that…"

"Come on, come on…!" she rose as a nurse hurried in, questioning look.

"Sorry. I just got a little excited…" Leonard told the nurse, eyeing Penny.

"It shouldn't take four buzzes to get help in an ER…Right, Sheldon?" Penny frowned at the nurse who was examining Leonard's vital signs' readout on his bed monitor.

"Well..." Sheldon began...She glaring...

It's "well..." now? Sheldon Cooper can tolerate delays in the care of his best friend but if it were him...She frowned.

"We're very busy…And we monitor him out there as well…He's fine…But he should rest." The nurse eyed her. "We'll be getting him upstairs for an overnight evaluation, you can see him then."

Did I do something again? Sheldon hissed to Amy...

Yes...She hissed back. "If you were in here and it took one buzz to get a response in five seconds..."

"That's sweet." he eyed her. "What would you do?"

She sighed, then finally grinned. "One-to-three for stealing medications and holding a nurse hostage."

He nodded. "Me too." smile. "Though I'd grab a doctor for you."

"And stay…I'm stayin'…" Penny insisted. Then smiled, shyly. "It's our wedding night…"

Dear God…Leonard thought…I wasn't dreaming when Raj asked me if I took this woman…? And Penny said "He does, stop asking him silly questions. He can't breathe here."

It is our wedding night…Faint smile.

About the sort I kinda expected…Sigh…Looking at her anxious face as the nurse assured her he was stable and she'd be able to rejoin him within an hour.

Magical…He beamed.

'Course the free wedding and honeymoon don't hurt in makin' it so…

"What?" Sheldon stared at Amy as they rose to leave...Penny desperately hanging back to give Leonard a long, goodbye...No, see ya in five minutes...Kiss...

"You know I could probably make a nerve pinch look like you'd had a minor heart attack." Amy noted. "...And after we were settled, I'd have no trouble stealing a doctor's id and operating a brain scanner."

"Amy Farrah Fowler, you vixen you..." he beamed. "But this is Leonard's and Penny's night...They should have it alone, with Leonard's nursing team and O2 mask standing by." pause. "Of course, no reason we can't do all that on our official wedding night...You could bring along your Star Trek doctor's outfit..." Amy, sly grin, nod...

Penny blinking as she listened...

I was just an innocent, semi-slutty girl from Nebraska when I came...

….

"So your daughter told you we'd taken Leonard here…" Amy nodded politely to Dr. Stein's explanation for his presence, repeated to the returned, slightly startled members of the gang. "That was nice of her…And nice of you to come."

"Least I could do…" Stein smiled. "But Dr. Hofstadter will be all right?"

"Just fine…" Bernadette nodded, contentedly. "Assuming he's up to his new position. Whatdaya say, honey? Can he cut it?" grin to Howard.

"I think Hofstadter will squeeze by..." Howard, sage nod. "We can't all be superhubbie but, he'll manage just fine."

"Susan would have come but she's wasn't feeling well, I hope you can excuse her." Stein noted, apparently anxious to continue with Amy.

"Certainly…" Amy nodded. Cautious tone.

"Cooper? I haven't had the chance to congratulate you on a wise choice..." Stein eyed him. "I think you made the right decision..." hard stare to Sheldon.

"Thank you..." Sheldon nodded. "Was Susan...?"

"Heartbroken?" wan smile. "Well...She's a big girl, Sheldon..." smile, slight sigh. "So you'll be married with Dr. Hofstadter and Miss Penelope here?" fixed smile...

"So…" Lucy hissed to Raj after pulling him to a corner out of earshot… "Dr. Frankenstein, Sheldon's adviser, has the daughter who was trying to steal Sheldon…But we think she's got the message now? Is that right?"

"Perfect."

"And the 'message is'…Keep away from my fiancée or I and my friends will cut you?" she asked…Sly grin.

"Lucy…?" grin back. "You have been listening…"

"Of course…" she looked over at Stein… "He's here…How do we play this? Cool? Or 'get the hell outta here, you father of Frankenstein's friend's would-be fiancée-stealing daughter?"

"Tough call…" Raj pondered. "I'd go with cool for now."

"That I can do…If I don't hafta talk."

"That's my girl." Beam.

"He's here for a reason though…" she eyed him. "Not just because of Leonard…"

He regarded her…

"I know when someone's not happy about having to be with people…He didn't want to come, she asked him to." Lucy, shrewdly.

Raj, appreciative stare…

That, lucky me, is my girl…He nodded.


	14. Chapter 14

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XIV…

"You know…" Howard smiled as the group waited in the ER waiting room for news that Leonard had been sent upstairs. "In the ole days, back in Europe and such places, the bride and groom would be escorted to their chamber by their closest friends from the wedding party…Who'd make a racket and tease the hell out of them…And in general, see that things were done right. Not just my guys, you understand…Most of yours, too. And I believe it holds true for Raj's fellas, right?"

"It corresponds…" Raj, sage nod.

"Meaning…This was just right…We're doin' it just right…" Penny, beaming… "Howard?! How do you keep managing this? It's beginning to scare me, all this good and wise stuff coming outta you these last years… Bernadette, you are a lucky, lucky girl."

"I know." Proud nod.

"But not as lucky as…PENELOPE HOFSTADTER!" she cried…Wagging finger…

"A ring?" Amy stared… "Leonard had a ring…?"

"He's been keepin' it handy…It's just one he picked up, and he didn't really mean it to be my real ring but I don't care. It's fine and it's mine…I'll have to get it engraved but…" she beamed.

"This is my wedding ring…And here it's gonna stay…"

Raj, Howard, Sheldon…Glaring…

The Ring!

"I knew it!" Sheldon fumed. "Even when we all went to the post office to mail it to Peter Jackson, I knew he'd pulled a switch."

"Well…It's mine now." Penny noted, a bit smugly… "Aren't you mine, Precious…?" stroking it.

"Pardon me…Is that what I think it is?" Dr. Stein eyeing the ring…

"I'm a huge Tolkien fan…From the days when there only the books and no one thought of Elijah Wood and that Shakespearian fellow Susan always says I resemble as Frodo and Gandolf…" he smiled.

"It's one of the original prop rings…" Raj sighed. "We found it one day, one ordinary day…Lost among trivial things…It gleamed like a burning molten fire. One ring, to rule them all…"

"Our Precious…" Howard, Raj, Sheldon…Awed tones…

Lucy eyeing Bernadette…Bernadette shrugging…

Our nerd boys go gaga over a piece of costume jewelry…Accept it, girl.

"And now it be my Precious…" Penny smiled. "See how it gleams…" she held her hand up to the light.

Well…Greater love hath no nerd…Bernadette sighed.

"Mrs. Hofstadter?" a nurse came out to them… "I can take you up now…And three…No more than three…Of the rest of you…To say goodnight."

"I'm stayin'…Right?" Penny, anxiously…

"Right...There's a sleeping couch in the room." kind nod. "But lets do this, ok? He should get to sleep."

"Ok..Uh…Bernadette? Amy? If it was me…" Penny, a bit sheepishly.

"No…The original gang does the Hofstadter wedding night honors, it's traditional, as my honey says…" Bernadette, warmly… "Howie and Raj will give us all the details and Sheldon will provide commentary…Go on, guys."

"Amy…" Penny went to her. "I'm so glad this idiot…" she nudged Sheldon… "… got things straightened out…And if Leonard helped…"

"He did…And he did…" Amy beamed…Hugging her, then a kiss on cheek. "Congratulations, Mrs. Dr. Hofstadter…Leonard's made such a wise choice…And so have you." She hugged her again, Penny wiping tears. Hugging Bernadette as Amy released her…

"Ok…" Penny, smoothing… "Lets go see my husband…"

"You'll be ok?" Raj, to Lucy who nodded.

"You bet she will…" Bernadette smiled… "While you give Leonard a hard time, we'll be dishin' the dirt here…"

Penny led Howard, Sheldon, and Raj in following the waiting nurse to the elevators…Waving as the doors closed…

"Was Dr. Stein still there?" she asked. Raj frowned…"Yes…And I think Lucy hit the nail on the head. He didn't come about Leonard."

"You think he came to speak to me?" Sheldon, puzzled. Then a bit concerned. "About Susan?"

"Not you, I think…" Raj shook head. Howard eyeing him…

"Well…" Dr. Stein had risen from his seat… "I should be getting along, now that Dr. Hofstadter is settled."

"Thank you for coming, doctor. Sheldon appreciated it." Amy nodded.

"Before I go, Amy…" he eyed her… "Could I have a word?"

Bernadette, Lucy, glance to each…Amy, calmly. "Certainly." She rose, letting him lead her out of the ER to the patio just outside.

Bernadette and Lucy hurrying over to peer out…

"What do we do?" Lucy whispered.

"We leave it to Amy…But if she seems in distress or trouble, we take Frankenstein out." Bernadette, grimly.

"I imagine you've guessed I didn't come simply to see about Dr. Hofstadter…" Stein eyed Amy.

"Of course…" she nodded. "Your daughter asked you to speak to me. What did she ask you to say? Please give up Sheldon?" calm stare…

"No…" he shook his head. "Though I would ask you to, if she hadn't told me not to."

…

"It's really all my fault…" Stein sighed as they stood on the ER patio. "I brought them together…The year I came to Austin and I became Sheldon's adviser."

"That was the year he lost Dr. Brown, his first adviser…" Amy sighed. "He loved Dr. Brown, more than anyone but his mother and his grandparents, I think. It really hurt him."

"Yes…Cooper's never forgiven me for not being Emmet Brown…There's nothing I can do about that, though I did see a lot of myself in him and tried to help him, he wouldn't let me in." Stein sighed. "Thank God he had you though, eh?" calm stare.

I…Amy blinked…

"Like young Cooper, I also have an eidetic memory, my dear…" Stein eyed her. "I never forget a face…And was you that day in my office, pretending to be Sheldon's twin sister, telling me you were worried about him and could I please go and see if he was all right." He noted calmly.

"You were a student at Austin…And you knew him. Though he didn't know you, did he?" he eyed her. "You've been in love with him since then, at least, right?"

"No…And yes, but even longer." Amy shook her head. "I came to Austin because I knew he was there. And when I heard crazy Sheldon Cooper had locked himself in his room and wasn't coming out except to class…And I saw him, looking like…After Dr. Brown had died. I had to do something, I had to…"

"I'm glad you did…" Stein nodded. "I knew young Cooper had problems but I'd just started there and barely knew my students, mostly inherited from Emmet Brown. It saved his life, I think, poor strange boy. I never met anyone so like my own younger self…I'm just sorry I couldn't connect with him as ole Emmet did."

"There was more between your daughter and Sheldon than he's told me yet, wasn't there?" Amy eyed him.

Stein shrugged… "For him, probably not…I'm sure he's not lied to you, dear girl. He's incapable of it. But for Susan…" sad look…"You see, Amy, in a way…You're my nemesis…" he noted sadly. "The obstacle to my poor girl's hopes for happiness…" he looked away.

"He's her angel…The one pure thing in her life." Amy, calmly. "I know the feeling…And no, whatever my friends say about me…I am not noble enough to give him up."

"I didn't expect you were…" he smiled. "Not Maggie Fowler's granddaughter…No, she'd die for her love, fight for it, cherish it…Kill for it…But give it up? Never…No, the moment I saw you tonight, Amy, I knew Susan's hopes were a fantasy. Still, they've kept her going since she lost Sheldon to Physics all those years ago."

"That's why…" Amy stared. "She became a physicist to please Sheldon…"

"God knows not to please me. Not that I ever wanted her to be one. I'd've been happy for her to stay doing what she did, if she'd loved doing it." Stein smiled wanly. "Not the attitude many would say marks a good father, I suppose…But…"

"Why does Dr. Francis hate you and Susan so?" Amy looked at him. "You and he were like Sheldon and Leonard once…But he's been telling me…"

"Beware the fiendish Stein…Yes. With good reason, from his point of view." Shrug.


	15. Chapter 15

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XV…

"It is surprising how things repeat themselves in this marvelous, infinite multiverse…" Stein pondered, smiling at Amy as they stood on the Pasadena General ER patio. "You're right to say Xavier and I were like Leonard and Sheldon, once. I'm not exaggerating when I say I see a lot of myself in Sheldon…And I was, like him, headed down a path of isolation and loneliness until Xavier Francis and his own beloved Margaret came into my life and changed its course, forever…They, and a certain other Margaret…" wry smile…

1959…Princeton, New Jersey…

"Mr. Stein…" narrow look, lift of glasses, non-nonsensely sharp New England accent… "Having just arrogantly declared that the Universe is only to be understood via the laws of Physics, perhaps you might enlighten us as to its application in the human neuron."

"Care to play a little ball, Scarecrow…" a smirking hiss from a nearby student to the lanky, black rimmed, Harold Lloyd style bespectacled Stein in sweater vest, slide rule protruding from shirt pocket, now standing to face the cool stare of Dr. Margaret Fowler…Princeton's respected, feared, and though never openly admitted among the males, much desired, Wicked Witch of the East, departmental chair of Neurophysiology and Neurology, whose considerable side interest in Psychology had led her to teaching this elective seminar… "Physiologic Psychology and the Human Brain…", the validity of which the brilliant young physics prodigy and doctoral candidate, Francis Stein had just, perhaps somewhat unwisely, denounced in no uncertain terms…In answering a Socratic summons from the professor, he repeating his usual refrain of being rather annoyed at having to have been required to "waste his valuable time" taking such an elective in the first place…

"Well, Mr. Stein?...By the way Mr. Montaine, I think we all, and in particular, I…And my famous cousin…Appreciate your taste in films but suppose you demonstrate your remarkable memory by debating Mr. Stein here after he's made his point."

"Well, Dr. Fowler…" Stein, reperching glasses on nose…His buttoned up, checked shirt betraying a missing collar button as a corner of collar flapped with each word. "A neuron must work on physical principles and subject to the laws of electromagnetism and physics. The human brain is simply the sum total of those principles in mass application."

"So we are simply machines, subject to physical laws with perfectly predictable outcomes?" she replied serenely.

He blinked at the deep brown eyes boring into him…

"Well…Given the data and the calculating power…I could probably make reasonable predictions of outcomes based on the electromagnetic activity of the brain, yes."

"All right…" nod… "And you would say that specific study of the brain and the outcomes generated is unnecessary because you could presumably derive all outcomes from theoretical physics? In short, meaning, there is no need for you to be taking this course?"

"If the goal is to see the underlying principles, it's much better for me to work on the basic science…The Queen of Science, in fact, Physics."

"I see…Well, Mr. Stein…" smile…Flashing eyes…Firm jut of proud rather notable chin. "I should like to see you derive a theory of neural function from basic physics. I think that will be your project for this seminar."

"Ma'am?"

She'll get me…And my little dog too…Glance over for support to his friend…One of the very few…Xavier Francis, seated next to him…

"Mr. Montaine, I haven't forgotten you…" freezing look as the said Montaine…A tall, well-built blonde, blue-eyed type paused in his relaxing, thinking he'd escaped destruction. "Please rise and give us a counter to Mr. Stein's proposal. Just an outline, please…As you'll be working on a rebuttal to Mr. Stein's theorizing."

"Uh…Well…" Montaine eyed the professor, a tall, gangly woman in tweed suit, white blouse, sensible shoes, tightly bunned black hair…The image of her older second cousin, the famed actress Margaret Hamilton…And whom the men of Princeton had made the butt of endless sexist jokes since her arrival…But whose mysterious allure had nearly every one of them, and most of the faculty, both fascinated and intimidated.

Heck, it's the Wicked Witch for Christsakes…Who couldn't help wondering, in the privacy of his…And not a few hers… Own thoughts just how good… "Wicked"…Could be?

After all, figure wasn't bad, if her dowdy suit left much to the imagination…The hair under that tight bun was rather silky…And God, those piercing eyes that bore though a guy's soul…

"Mr. Montaine?"

Uh… "I guess…Uh…There's more things in Heaven and Earth…?" he tried.

She nodded, a bit surprised… "Very good…The Humanities still have something to offer, I see." Shrewd smile. "Well, that'll do for a quick summary of your position…Try to flesh it out a bit over the semester with a little science. If you can tear yourself away from Mr. Shakespeare."

"Yes, professor…" he sat… Grins about him, but nothing too humiliating…In fact…Mostly appreciative…He gave a grateful smile toward the professor who had moved on immediately…

Stein frowning…

She certainly let him off easy…

"'…more things in Heaven and Earth…' my ass…The monkey in a billion who typed 'Hamlet'…" he noted to Francis.

"Mr. Stein…You have more to contribute?" cold tone.

He sighed, but sensing a bit of derision directed at him from various sources was determined to assert his superior position.

The dope just threw that in, for crying out loud…

"Frank…" Warning hiss from his fellow student and roommate, Xavier Francis…

"I don't find that a very scientific viewpoint…" Stein asserted, boldly.

"No…Mr. Stein? Well?" Dr. Fowler smiled.

"No, doctor…There's no science in it at all, just a vague claim there's more than science can account for…"

"Glad to see you get the meaning of the quote…Well, tell me, Mr. Stein…" she pushed glasses on nose. "Can we account for the general state of the universe using Newtonian physics?"

"Well…Yes…Certainly…"

"And Newtonian physics is in fact a solid, verifiable system…We can experimentally test it, we know how to describe it in mathematical terms…Correct?"

"Of course…It's a thoroughly scientific view of the universe…No nonsense or reliance on fairy tales and vague statements from poets."

"Why then are you studying quantum physics, Mr. Stein? Why not concentrate in the solid and practical ground of Newtonian physics…Experimentally verifiable Physics. Where the theory is tried and true and tested…Solid as a rock, eh ya?" New England twang at end…

"We need quantum theory to understand…Things…" Stein, sinking feeling…

"Yes?" smile…

"Things not explained by Newtonian physics…The nature of the universe as it exists in reality as opposed to an ideal fixed state. But we can do thought experiments, mathematical models, and even practical experiments in quantum theory."

"And yet quantum theory attempts to cover a huge area in Physics that Newtonian, rock-solid physics is simply not up to in explaining the true nature of the universe, correct? While as yet lacking physical tools for experimentation in many aspects? Ergo, Mr. Montaine's position, while not exactly scientific, is nonetheless, valid?"

"It could be…" Stein sighed.

"Thank you, Horatio." Dr. Fowler smiled gently, to chuckles…Stein taking seat…

"However, your position also has the merit of dealing in fundamentals. And I happen to like fundamentals, so long they are not taken to." Kindly smile. "I'll look forward to see your respective approaches, gentlemen. Now, getting back to the consideration of multiple neuronal firings in a synchronized bundle format…"

…

Class dismissed and students beginning to rise, young Stein was still rather intent on defending his position…

"I still say…" Stein began, to his friend, Xavier Francis… "There's no reason to go skinny-dipping in the lesser, so-called sciences for answers that Physics can provide…"

"Francis…You can't simply dismiss…" Xavier began, sighing…

"Nice job, Poindexter…" Montaine, in passing… "I oughta kick your skinny ass…"

"As if you know the Bard, Dobie Gillis!" Stein, fuming… "What book of Cliff Notes did you lift from this time!"

"Tell it to the other nancy boy, Limey…" Montaine, airily… "Outta my way, Moronowitz…" he shoved a small, dark, rather intense, and if slight, still rather good-looking…In a dark, intense way, student in his path aside… 

"It's Horowitz, Montaine!" Horowitz glared. Picking himself up from the seat he'd fallen into.

"Horowitz, Moronowitz, Boronowitz…Meinken, Schmeinken…Yous New Yorkars is all alike to me…" Montaine, chuckling as he strolled off, several mates joining in…

"The master race of blonde, blue-eyed Morlocks has spoken…" Stein fumed.

"Got that right!" Montaine, cheerily…

"Too stupid, don't waste your time, Stein…" Horowitz shook head.

"Lets be clear, Leonard…I'm not defending you per se…" Stein, insistent. "I just wanted to make a point."

"Thanks…" Horowitz nodded. "She kicked your skinny little ass, tin man. By the way…"

"Wasn't she great?" Xavier beamed.

"Excuse me? I was the one who stood up for Physics today, sir…" Stein fumed.

"And went down like the Hindenberg." Leonard Horowitz smiled. "Speaking of which, did we notice our fair lady was wearing those silk stockings and clearly had the skirt up a quarter of an inch…?"

"Oh…I don't see why you can't resist the urge to leer at someone outside the normal realm of existence…."Stein glared. "Dr. Fowler may be wrong here and she is…But there's no need to take that tone…"

"What 'tone', Eton's reject…?"

"Very funny…I wasn't rejected from Eton…I was told I was far too intelligent…Which I was."

Xavier looking around room…Ah…There she is…

"God, what happened to your Limey genes?" Horowitz grinned at Stein. "I thought it was the dream of each and every young Brit to get kicked around the playing fields and find some poor weedy underclassman to do the same with in senior year."

"Fortunately, having an American mother, I escaped that fate…Though rather a case of frying pan to the fire in the benighted halls of American academe…" Stein noted. "So, old man…Still trying to see if you can cram a sliver or two of diluted science on the cheap in among all those numbers and debit sheets? Or is it simply the call of allure that keeps you coming to the wrong side of campus?"

"My major is business psychology, Francis…" Horowitz, precisely. "And yes, I am interested in the science, I happen to be working toward my doctorate, too, you know, plus I have to take electives…And I'm fully capable of understanding the course, I'm doing quite well."

"The power of the Wicked's allure…" Stein sniffed… "Even the elderly are stirred…"

"Some of us had to work after undergrad, Stein…I'm only six years older than you…" Horowitz fumed.

"Margaret's here…" Xavier, oblivious to the conversation of his friends…

"She is…?" Horowitz a bit nervous….

Oh…He stared to see Xavier's young friend…A tall, brown-haired, curly-headed girl with wide smile coming over to them, in green sweater, tawny blouse, and camel-colored skirt …

That Margaret…

Not that she's not a pleasant sight to see…But…One was hoping, just possibly…He glanced to the now empty podium…

"Expecting the WW to come swooping in on broomstick to carry her monkey off, were we?" Stein grinned.

"Fellas…" Xavier had turned back to them, ready to accept accolades for his securing the admittedly, by group consensus, prettiest girl on campus this year…Blanching a bit…

"Broomsticks, Mr. Stein…" Dr. Fowler's unmistakable New England accent… "Are aerodynamically unstable. I'd use a jet pack, myself…"

"I saw that in Popular Science…" Xavier, eagerly…

"Mr. Horowitz, how are we?" she smiled at Leonard…

"I…" Leonard blinked…Trembling visibly…

Hmmn…Xavier eyeing Stein…Stein rolling eyes…

Thank God he wore dark pants today…

"Leonard…? You really need to see someone about that nervousness of yours…" Dr. Fowler sighed. "Shyness is all very well, even rather…Charming…" smile. "But, really, you can't go through life like this. Mr. Francis tells me you have quite the patter when not paralyzed."

"He's fine around guys…And some women he knows well…" Xavier, quickly…

"Hey…" young Margaret had reached them…A bit intimidated to see the famed Dr. Fowler among them. "Dr. Fowler, hello…"

"Miss Sullivan…" nod. "So it's just strong women who cause these panic attacks, Leonard?" she returned to Horowitz who was desperately seeking an escape, with wry smile…

"How was class?" Xavier, to young Margaret, kissing her on cheek.

"Shakespearian…Naturally…" she beamed. "We did 'Merchant of Venice'…I read Antonio in class…"

" 'In sooth I know not why I am so sad…It wearies me…You say it wearies you…'" Stein quoted.

"Very good, Francis…" Margaret beamed.

"I've been interested in conditions like yours for some time now, Leonard…" Dr. Fowler was saying to a rather distressed Horowitz. "And you are by far the most extreme case I've encountered…"

"While we don't go up and down London, reciting sonnets…When raised in England it's hard to escape the playwright/corn dealer…" Stein shrugged.

"I'm afraid it isn't in Canada…" Xavier sighed. "But I have been learning…"

"Worthless diversion of your limited resources, Xavier…" Stein shook head.

"Francis…" Margaret frowned. "I think it broadens the mind to study things outside your own field. Good for you, Xav…" she beamed.

"I'd like you to agree to a few sessions sometime…Perhaps over summer? You work in New York and Boston, during the summer, correct?" Dr. Fowler, rather eagerly. "You'd be doing me…and my work, a great favor, Leonard. And I believe I would be a very good choice for you, as a therapist."

"Uh…" Leonard choked out…

"Doctor…" Xavier had slipped over. "I think he's really getting to a danger point…If you don't mind, it's sheer necessity. You better hurry, Leonard."

"Oh, by all means…But I would like to talk a bit more after you evacuate your bladder, Leonard." She noted. Leonard hurrying off…

"Sweet fellow…" she noted to Francis with smile. "I hope he'll consider my offer…For his own good…"

"It's nice of you to take an interest…" Margaret smiled. "It's hard to believe a sharp business guy like Leonard has such trouble dealing with women…"

"Not that surprising…Women are very strange creatures…" Stein noted, a bit smugly.

"Right, 'enry 'iggins…" Margaret patted him…Dr. Fowler eyeing him…

"Dr. Higgins has a point…" Stein shrugged. "If you people would be more like us…Say the way Dr. Fowler here is…"

"Francis!" Margaret glared…

"Quite all right…Do go on, Mr. Stein…" Dr. Fowler, sly smile…

"…well..It's just…Things would be easier. Less complicated." Stein, hesitant.

"Well, one could take that as an advanced attitude toward equality of the sexes…" Dr. Fowler, shrewd grin…

"Oh…I hardly meant that…" Stein, anxiously.

"In which case we see another example of delayed emotional development much like Mr. Horowitz's only different in outcome…" benign smile. "Ummn…Mr. Francis? He is coming back?" slight urgency in tone.

"I think so, I was supposed to take him to the train…He's going home to New York for the weekend. It's really not so bad with him as it was, doctor. He's seeing a girl back home…" Xavier paused at Dr. Fowler's stare.

"Is he?" definite, if immediately repressed note of despair… "And he can…Function…With her?"

"She's extremely unchallenging…So yes, as to a degree of verbal communication and interaction." Stein shrugged. "As to coitus and so forth, no data available as yet from…"

"Francis!" Margaret, Xavier…

"Not at all, most interesting…" Dr. Fowler… "From a clinical point of view, of course…"

"He does seem to be able to talk to her a little without running for the bathroom…They've dated a few times…" Xavier, cluelessly…As Margaret eyed Dr. Fowler…

Leonard is, after all…Rather a cute lil' feller…Even handsome, in his short lil' way…A sort of tiny John Garfield…

And an older student, only what, ten or eleven years younger than her…?

And she has been very nice to him, ever since he fled the class when she called on him and Xav explained to her he wasn't being funny or insulting…She's avoided pressing him and takes his class answers in writing. Always tries to talk to him…

Now that would be something…Xavier's lil' friend and the Wicked Witch of the East…

Who actually does have something, no doubt about it, even bound up in that plain suit and hair bun…

Even Xav was drooling a bit over her early on in the class…Kept going on about her eyes…

God, anything would be better than that gold-digging tramp who's latched on to the poor guy…And Leonard obviously likes her…Only times he panicks are with girls he likes

Gotta tell Xav what I heard her say about holding her nose sometimes to get ahead the other night Leonard took us all out …God, the dumb thing actually thought I'd agree with her. Coulda smacked her right there and then…

"Amazing the aphoristic effect of a hefty bank account on some women…But, Horowitz is the type to go for that sort…" Stein cut in with Xavier and Dr. Fowler…Both regarding him.

"Oh?" Dr. Fowler, a bit coldly…

"Not a man of Science like us…Well, a person of Science, doctor…"

"Mr. Stein…While no one respects Science more than myself, you need to learn that all human knowledge does not reside there."

"Back to Montaine and his second –rate Shakespeare…" frown. "I'm not closed off to Shakespeare…And a few other influences…Asimov, for example."

"Francis is very fond of science-fiction." Xavier, helpfully.

"And makes a mean omelette…" Margaret grinned. "Which did catch me by surprise."

"In England one either learns to cook for oneself a little or one is condemned to hell…My mother taught me a few things." Stein, shrugging.

"Is Mr. Horowitz all right, you think?" Dr. Fowler asked, a tad anxiously…

"I'll go and see…" Xavier offered.

"Doctor, you really aren't required to concern yourself with students' well being..." Stein began… "An intellect like yours needs to reserve itself for higher things…I would really suggest you abandon your dabbling in Psychology and…"

Hmmn…Xavier eyed Stein… "Why don't you come with me, Francis? You can tell me about your new thought experiment…" Anxious glance to Margaret…

And avoid more comments that could get you booted out of an elective you need. Given almost no one out of the Physics department will tolerate you in their class for long.

"Why are you always interrupting me just when I'm making progress impressing Dr. Fowler…" Stein hissed to Francis, annoyed as they headed out.

"Francis Stein really admires you…As does my Mr. Francis." Margaret, rather desperately… Dr. Fowler giving wry smile…

"The young bucks always go for the strong filly they think can protect them in a crisis, young lady. Whatever noises they make about needing nothin' and no one…Even our 'tin man' Mr. Stein…" shrewd grin, wink.


	16. Chapter 16

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XVI…

"Of course, in my bizarre way then, I was madly in love with your grandmother…" Stein smiled at Amy. "The first person I'd met in years who really could challenge me intellectually…As well as looking damned hot in a tweed suit and hair bun. But of course, her heart was elsewhere set…Though, realizing my passion despite my attempts to cover it with what I believed was coolly arrogant indifference, she was very kind to me…Though not above occasionally having her bit of fun with me."

"We were all such good friends then…Xavier, Margaret…And your future grandfather…And I loved them all, in my odd and selfish way, but especially Xavier and his sweet Maggie…These two generous souls had brought me out of the dark of my loneliness and into the light, Amy."

"I think I know the feeling…" Amy beamed. "God knows where Sheldon and I would be but for Leonard Hofstadter and Penny…And our other friends…"

Eyeing Stein carefully… "But you have quite the reputation, Doctor…" Worried look… "Of course Sheldon would never…"

"Well, he has the girl of his dreams…I did not. And I've spent my life seeking someone who combined Maggie Fowler's intellect and the wild spirit some of us sensed underneath that forbidding exterior." Stein smiled. "I don't think you need be worried about young Cooper…We do differ a bit in our amorous natures. But, I think you will find him, once he feels safe with you, rather surprisingly good in his lovemaking. As a physicist, I surrender our prowess in determining and understanding processes to none…And Cooper, whatever else he is, is a dedicated student of any subject he takes up…Including you." Grin… "And by the way…Meaning no disrespect…And oddly, I don't think my source actually did, either…You yourself have a bit of a rep, Dr. Fowler. At least, according to Mr. Kripke…Or is it Kwripke, I couldn't make out?"

"I do?" Amy blinked. "Why the foul little…?"

Thanks, Barry…You strange little pervert…

"I'd guess…While someone of your beauty certainly deserves a 'rep'…It's largely like mine own, at least at the start…Unearned and the product of rather intense imagination? Though in my case, my 'creator' rep was largely in fact the joint 'creation'…" sigh… "Afraid I'm still addicted to bad puns…Of my two dearest friends, Xavier and Margaret. Who hoped it might stimulate the imagination of the young ladies of our campus, in combination with my Brit accent and my aloofness to see me as a somewhat alluring figure." Smile, shrug…

Hmmn…Amy pondered…

A good caution to avoid dangling Sheldon before the Cal Tech population as I did tonight too often. Don't think I didn't see Lesley Winkle eyeing Sheldon at the keyboard. And I did handle that old lady moneybags among the alumni who kept trying to speak to him…

"Accidently" step on her toes…Yeah, right…

Thanks, tortuous footwear…She eyed her heels…

Not that I'm concerned of course…

"Of course after I 'lost' Maggie Fowler…" Stein continued… "To a man whom at the time I was sure was my inferior…No offence to your grandfather, , simply my strange mixture of arrogance…And fearful insecurity at that time…I was determined to show I could outdo a mere businessman…Even a founder of the scientific basis of Business Psychology like your really quite brilliant grandfather. For better or worse, at least the experience of defeat in love, along with my friends' efforts, got me out of my shell for once and all. Over time I began to see how the calculations involved in winning a woman's heart could be almost as satisfying as the most complex calculations in quantum theory. More important…" smile… "In time I found I rather liked loving and being loved. And it became as essential to me as Physics. It is all a part of the mystery of the Universe, after all."

"So the 'Creator' became reality…" Amy eyed him shrewdly.

"Not as selfishly as the rep goes, I hope…At least not after seeing the same pain in a woman's face I'd felt when Leonard Horowitz returned in Fall 1960, Mr, Dr. Fowler-Horowitz, I did limit myself to women I did care for. I think, despite the legends, most of them would agree, we usually parted friends and the parting often not at my instigation…It was the 60s, after all." Shrug, wry grin…

"And Susan was the product of one of your campaigns?" hard stare…

"An accident in the 'creator''s career, you mean…?" wry smile. "No…Susan was anything but an accident. She was a blessing. But one that came with a price."

"But what caused Dr. Francis to…Oh…" Amy stared.

"Margaret…" she eyed him. "Margaret is Susan's mother…Isn't she?"

Horrifying infinitely long fantasy of Penny with beautiful baby in arms in hospital bed, looking sheepish if radiant…Awkward Sheldon, trying to explain to her and Leonard…

"Come, Amy…" Leonard, looking away from Penny's pleas for forgiveness…

How could one resist the allure of the Cooper…All those years, only just across the hallway…

"…let us go from these unfaithful lovers and find contentment elsewhere, far from the sordid iniquity that is Pasadena. You know I've always loved you…Only my lemminglike sense of social responsibility keeping me bound to this incredibly attractive and statuesque beauty who pales like the moon before the sun of your radiance."

"Leonard?!" Penny, pleading…Narrow glance at Amy. "You vixen, Amy Farrah Fowler…I always knew you planned to steal him from me. Deliberately toning down your incredible sexual allure, pretending to be my friend."

"Never, once bestie…" shake of head. "I have ever been true to one man…Sheldon Lee Cooper…Who, sadly, in a moment of foolish surrender to surfacely flashly attractiveness, has betrayed my love."

"Oh, Amy…" Sheldon, sadly. "So true…Don't abandon me, Amy. Tell me you can forgive as is your noble nature."

"Sheldon…If you leave me now, I'll make like the Restoration mistress of Charles II and vow to dash this babe's head against the wall!" Penny glared.

"Penny?!" Amy, horrified.

"Unless of course…Leonard?" Penny eyed him. "I accept your old proposal and offer a two-fer…" Holding up baby. "After all, I've my doubts about your sperm count…"

"Oh, wretched creature…Beautiful but heartless…" Leonard, sighing… "Amy, come with me…Be mine, fair Amy and know the joys of my asthmatic but really dedicated love."

"Villain! She is not for you, scoundrel! Have at thee!" Sheldon raising two swords, one hooked on the other…Tossing one free to Leonard who snatched it…

Clash of swords as Penny leers… "Lets see some blood, boys!"

Amy pleading for peace…

"Zounds…" Leonard, gasping at Sheldon's shrewd thrust, collapsing… "I be slain!…Oh, apothecary! My inhaler!"

Howard in apothecary cap… Sighs at the fallen Leonard…"Such drugs as I have shan't cure so mortal a wound…Prythee callest the cops, dudes and dudettesfor murder has been committed upon this fair experimental physicist, my friend."

"In sooth I know not why I am so sad…I'm finally free of the foul demon who did plague my heart." Leonard, faint… "Farewell, beloved Amy." Dies…

"Oh, my Leonard! Oh, do I repent now of my wickedness!" Penny cries… "And die I now of 16th century style childbed fever." Dies.

"Sheldon?" Amy rushes to the now fallen Sheldon…Struck by Leonard in the fight, only now the wound proving mortal…

"Death cannot sting so much as the loss…Of thy love, fairest Amy. Forgive and…Oh, Jesus this hurts! Howard?!"

"Such drugs as I have…" Howard begins…

"Oh, shut up!" Ow, ow…" Sheldon, howling… "Amy?! Forgive…OW! Jesus!..."

"Soft kitty, warm kitty…" Amy begins…

"Oh…I die at peace, forgiven by…OW, oh Lord OW!" Sheldon…Dies…

"Dr. Fowler…?" Stein, gently…

"Uh…Yes, go on Doctor…You were saying how you fathered Susan on your best friend's girlfriend and then fought in a duel?" Amy, blinking.

"What?"

"Sorry…You fathered Susan…?"


	17. Chapter 17

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XVII…

1959…Princeton…

"It's such a shame that Professor Einstein should have had to die before I came to Princeton…" Stein sighed to his friends Margaret and Xavier as they headed from Dr. Fowler's classroom for the building exit. Students hurrying past…A few casting glances at the increasingly well-known male pair…Well-known though mainly for reasons not directly connected to their prowess in Physics. And a number eyeing the quite lovely Margaret…Not a few in puzzled resignation.

Francis frowning a bit back at the classroom door…

Just why should the divine Dr. Fowler have any need to keep that mere "businessman" Leonard behind…?

"Yes, I'm sure it was the one regret of his life that he didn't get to meet you, Francis." Xavier, rolling eyes to Margaret's grin.

"True…Poor man…It would have comforted his last years to know that theoretical Physics would pass on into my capable hands. Why do you suppose Dr. Fowler kept Horowitz behind?"

"She's concerned about him, Francis." Xavier sighed. "And he is a fascinating case for her…After all she is a clinical psychologist as well as a neurophysiologist."

"Why such a brilliant woman wastes her time among all the little sciences…" Stein shrugged.

"And she likes our lil' Leonard…" Margaret, impish grin at Xavier…

"Oh surely there are better objects for her attention…" Stein attempting an off-handed pose.

"Oh…Francis…" Margaret sighed, glance to Xavier. "I'm sorry."

"What? I merely meant to express my regret at the folly of women in general and some brilliant women in particular. It's a concern for the gene pool of my adopted country." High-minded look.

"Right…Of course…" she nodded, indulgently. "And I am sure Dr. Fowler appreciates your concern. But…The fact is, Francis…" kind smile, hand on arm. "The heart must go where the heart wants…I'm sure there'll be a Dr. Fowler for you one day." Beam.

He frowned…"Xavier, will you explain to Miss Margaret that I am not seeking anything but the romance of completely understanding the universe from its beginning to end at all levels? Sordid human interplay does not constitute such…"

"You get that?" Xavier asked Margaret. She nodded.

"She's got it, Francis…"

"Should we wait?" Margaret asked as they neared the exit.

"Oh…I don't know…" Xavier, smile... "I think Leonard's going to busy for a while."

"What?" Francis stared. "Well…We should wait. It would be rude to go without him."

"First time you've ever worried about being rude to Leonard Horowitz…" Xavier grinned. Margaret giving reproving look…

"So what about your rocket project, boys?" leaning against wall, she attempted to change the subject. "When do we get atomic rockets for bus service to Mars?"

"If your boyfriend would show a little extra daring…" Francis began.

"Francis…" sigh. "I can't steal plutonium from the university cyclotron for you to experiment on."

"You'd do the experimenting…I've already done the theoretical heavy lifting… Just a matter of a little all-naturized American courage and a little tinkering… "

"Do we want the FBI at our dorm again? And that was just when you insisted on publishing your paper without getting security clearance. If they thought we were actually trying it out…"

"Given NASA's poor performance to date vis-à-vis the Soviets…" Francis began.

"The government is very nervous about atomic secrets, Francis…People go to jail or even get the electric chair…Remember the Rosenbergs? And as you just noted, technically we're naturalized citizens, both of us…You do remember the agent stressed that?" Xavier urged. "And he was trying to help us, you know."

"I know he said we have a great future in store…Naturally." Stein shrugged.

"If we don't blow it by going to prison first…" Xavier, pointedly.

Margaret frowning… "They shouldn't have threatened you like that. You weren't doing anything wrong, really. Just speculating…"

"See…Margaret agrees with me." Francis, archly.

"Uh…Hey, folks." Leonard had come up to them…

"How'd it go with the Wicked Witch of the East?" Xavier grinned. Leonard frowning as did Stein…Though Horowitz's frown more of the puzzled variety.

"She wanted…Wants…To discuss my case in detail. She mentioned that farm in Maine again…If I can go up for a week or two this summer."

"You ought to go. She could probably help you a lot with…Things." Margaret, grin…Xavier giving reproving look. Stein perturbed.

What…Things?

"What things?" he asked, aloud.

"Oh, I just mean she's such a famous psychologist and all that…" Margaret, casually… "So…?" smile to Leonard… "Will ya go and see the Castle?"

"I might…This is getting to be kind of a problem…" sigh. "And she seems to think she could do something for me."

"I'm sure…" Margaret, teasingly…Xavier, mock frown to her…

Francis, more anxious…

"I'm sure Dr. Fowler doesn't have a castle…Did she say that?"

"Hey…It's Frankenstein!" a hulking, tall senior rushed by, his equally hulking mates chuckling as they hurried out. "You makin' dweebs now?!"

"Better the creator than the monster, dimwit!" Margaret called after him.

"Dorks…" she sighed.

"Well, nice that time it wasn't Frankenstein and Jewinstein…" Horowitz shrugged. "The senior class of undergrads is steadily improving. Of course…" he returned to subject… "I did tell her about how Sheila…" he eyed Margaret's frown.

"I know you guys don't like her…"

"She's in it for the shekels Sheila…?" Margaret glared. "How could we not love her?"

"It's not like she denies she likes getting things from me…" Leonard noted, plaintively. "And there aren't many girls who'd put up with a guy who runs for the restroom everytime he meets a strange girl…And a few he knows. Particularly a lil' Jewish guy like me."

"Who happens to be able to afford to give her anything her greedy little heart desires." Margaret frowned. "Leonard, you're better than that…You deserve better."

"You mean like my cousin Rose?…Two hundred pounds and far more interested in my cousin Hannah, I'd say."

"If you'd just settle down and have some confidence in yourself…Look at Xavier here." She beamed at a pleased Francis. "If he hadn't got over worrying about every little problem…"

"You mean his increasing lack of hair…" Stein noted, archly.

"Hello? I can't help heredity…" Xavier frowned.

"Yes, you come from a long line of eggs…" Leonard grinned…

"Boys…" Margaret glared… "We don't make fun of Xavier's hair and I don't make fun of Francis' glasses and Leonard's lack of stature…Agreed?"

"Agreed…" Chorus…

"Xavier?" Stein frowned to his friend as Margaret patted Leonard… "Why are those girls giggling at me from over there…?" he indicated two undergraduates eyeing the trio…

"Because they like you…Sorta." Margaret hissed. "Go say hi."

She might have said…Like one of you…Xavier, Leonard…

"Why on earth would I want to do that?" Francis shrugged.

"Consider it an experiment." Margaret suggested, grin to Xavier. "Maybe they heard your British accent and it wowed them."

"They do say the girls all go for the aristocratic type…" Xavier, innocently. Leonard eyeing him and Margaret… "You oughta give it a try. An experiment, like Margaret says."

"What if they respond?"

"Then say something else…Quote Shakespeare or some other poet…Tell em about Physics, maybe that's why they're interested in you…Or just ask them if they wanted something." Margaret nudged him. "Go…"

He shook head…

"I hardly believe those two are Physics majors…" he began... "Anyway I wanted to go with Xavier and Leonard to the station, I want to talk to Xavier about an idea I had about time travel…"

"You can, after you say hi to them…" Margaret insisted. "C'mon, they've seen you looking…They're waiting for you to come over."

"Why?" Stein blinked.

"If you don't, I'll go with the three of you and Xav will be talking to me, not you…So?" she eyed him.

"I know I'd prefer that…" Xavier, gallantly. "You have one option that I can see, Mr. Stein…" stern look to Stein. "Boldly go…"

Gotta admit, while I usually don't see what this beauty sees in Francis, at certain times he does bring forth a rather commanding air…Leonard thought.

"Oh..Fine…" Stein fumed, walking over… "Hello? Why are you staring at us?" he asked the surprised girls who looked at him.

"You know…I recognize those two from your drama club…" Xavier grinned at Margaret.

"Well…They actually were curious about him." She shrugged. "Though so much for a week of trying to make him look mysteriously foreign and alluring…" Watching the two heading off, a bit nervously under Stein's frowning gaze.

"You might at least tell people why you're staring at them?" he called.

"This is going to be difficult…" Margaret sighed to Xavier. "When you finish your therapy with Dr. Fowler and can stay to talk to them, yes…" she eyed Leonard's rather woebegone "what about me?" look. "I will introduce you."

….

"Margaret was our radiant angel…And she didn't give up on me, ever." Stein noted. "She kept on insisting to friends that I was the strong, silent, British type, despite my obvious ineptitude. And eventually, with much help…" grin. "Especially after I lost all hope of your grandmother…" careful stare…

Amy eyeing his look...

Dr. Francis did say he and Susan live to destroy other peoples' happiness. But there's no worse way to gain a character reference than to steal another's beloved.

On the other hand…I may not be equipped with Penny (Hofstadter!)'s hyperacute male sensors but I can tell when someone finds me…Or at least what he sees of Gran in me…

Appealing…

But even that's not scaring me as much as how close…

But it's safe…Penny's married in spirit and soon technically and Sheldon…

Sheldon would never…

He felt for Susan…They were kids…

But Penny and Sheldon…

Oh, God…She looked over at the ER doors…

Sheldon loves me…Sheldon loves me…This is my own demon tearing at me…

I couldn't believe I'd have a chance when it became clear Charlotte would live…When I saw Susan Stein at Austin…

When I found out about the goddess actress living across the hall from him…Amy bested by a laughing Fate once again.

But Sheldon waited…Has been waiting…Loves…Me. She closed eyes, wan smile…

"What happened…" she eyed Stein… "How could you do that to your best friend? And given Susan's age…Were you and Margaret…Lovers? Did you fool him for years?"

"He believes so…How long hardly matters against the fact that I did do that to my other best friend." Stein sighed.

"Are you trying…?" she eyed him, dark look, flush, harsh tone. "Dr. Francis said you'd try. I trust Sheldon…"

"So do I, Amy…" shake of head. "So much so that I've trusted him for years with the thing I love most in the world."


	18. Chapter 18

Sheldon Swifties LIX: "The X-Advisors…"

Summary: Like my Immortal Beloved bits in my Buffyverse stories, these are fragments and short bits, some longer…Just to fiddle with ideas, possibly forming longer tales later.

Disclaimer: All is Chuck's…

Part XVIII…

Leonard's hospital room…

Where a very content if somewhat anxious to terminate the evening's festivities Penny Hofstadter was playing hostess to the limited "old gang" wedding party while monitoring every blip on Leonard's monitor thingy…

Howard, to his pleased surprise, finding himself regarded as the "practical" one as far as confirming the state of the equipment; Sheldon, a bit perturbed to find Penny somewhat dismissive of his analysis of the readings…Was he an MD? I don't see that shingle, I go looking for one…She'd noted.

Leonard, a bit sheepish…Not exactly the sort of wedding night he'd pictured, really…

"I don't know, dude…" Raj grinned. "Considering what your stay in this luxury suite is likely to cost you, I'd say you were sparing no expense."

"It won't be like this often, I promise…This was just a busy night and I was a little overtired." Leonard sighed to Penny. "And we'll do something fun for our real honeymoon."

"If your insurance covers this, maybe…But we have to think of the future, Leonard." She shook her head. "As for this sort of thing…I'll gladly spend every night in the ER if it means I have you with me one more day." Warm smile…Glance to Raj beside the bed, he returning confident nod.

"What do you suppose Dr. Stein is saying to Amy?" Sheldon eyed Howard nervously… "And should that respiration be that high?"

"Well lets see…" Howard, calmly, pulling him over to the side, then whispering harshly… "First…Knock it off, Sheldon. Penny's scared to death already and this is no night for you to be indulging your fears. Leonard is doing fine, make that your mantra or I'm telling Amy you invited Susan over…And second, I'm sure Amy can handle Frankenstein, whatever he's up to. Have faith in your girl." Reassuring pat. "Come on, now…Lets give your best friend a proper send-off and get out of here and let the love birds be."

"Well, you deserve better…" Leonard frowned to Penny. "And we're going to do something nice…And memorable."

"Oh, I think I'll remember getting married by our friends in a hospital ER just fine…" Penny smiled.

"It did have that Wolowitz wedding touch, didn't it?" Raj noted happily.

"Ok, guys…" Howard came back to Leonard's bed on the opposite side from Penny. "I think it's high time we said good night and let the Hofstadters try to enjoy their wedding night under the romantic glow of Leonard's cardiac monitor."

"Just tell the girls I'm ok…A little over exertion, that's all this was." Leonard noted. "And thank them for letting you guys stay."

"Yeah…And now, what Howard said." Penny, with beaming smile, but increasingly anxious urging…

"Right…" Raj nodded. "Good night and all the gods smile upon you. No one deserves this happiness more than you two."

"Amen to that…And L'chaim." Howard beamed.

"He'll be all right, Penny. He's had this sort of minor attack before, it's statistically insignificant." Sheldon eyed her.

"Thank you, Sheldon…" she kissed him. "That was the sweetest gift and the kindest lie anyone's ever told me. Go kiss my bestie for me."

They went out the door…Penny staring after them…A tear running…

"He's never had anything like this before, has he?" Howard sighed to Sheldon at the elevator.

"No…" Sheldon shook his head. "Of course it doesn't have to mean anything…Statistically speaking…" nervous look to both as they all entered the elevator...

"We'll check all data…Talk to his mom…He has us on the case now, we'll get him though this." Howard patted him as the doors closed.

"I don't want Leonard to die…" Sheldon looked to both… "He's my best friend excepting Amy now."

"Sheldon…"

"I didn't say a word in front of Penny…But I can say it to you two, can't I? I don't want Leonard to die and he nearly did die tonight, because of me."

"None of us knew his asthma was getting like this, Sheldon…" Howard sighed. "You weren't expecting it. We don't blame you."

"But you'll have to start going easier on Leonard, dude…" Raj noted. "He could have died tonight."

"He did die tonight…" Sheldon eyed them… "I told you, the EMTs said his heart stopped for thirty seconds."

"And we appreciate that you didn't tell Penny." Raj nodded.

"It's not quite the same thing…As a short Jewish man with a long history of family members dying in their early and middle 50s, I expect my heart to stop numerous times before even love of Bernie can't get the old ticker to restart. Don't be panicky for him, Sheldon, Leonard's tougher than he looks, especially in an ER with a tube in his nose. Just try to help Penny deal with this. She's not used to dealing with this kind of thing as an all-American ad for genetic fitness. I'm sure the idea of a breakable guy is new and frightening to her." Howard eyed him.

"On the other hand, for once, your obsession with neatness, health, and detail could probably help here, if properly channeled." Raj pointed out.

"Yes…" Sheldon nodded. "There's certainly no one better suited than me to bestow advice on Leonard's daily regimen. Well, that settles that…I'll have to move in with the Hofstadters. Or rather, Penny will have to move into Leonard's bedroom."

"Sheldon…The Hofstadters as I guess we really do have to call them…God…" Raj grinned. "And I bet their babies will be smart and beautiful…Won't want a permanent house guest. Not to mention you're engaged too, you know. Amy isn't going to want to move into your bedroom. Well, at least…" shrug… "Not with Leonard and Penny in the next room, on a permanent basis."

"Certainly not on a permanent basis…" Sheldon frowned. "We'll have to buy a duplex somewhere…"

"Well, hold off on that brainstorm for a few days, Sheldon…" Howard sighed. "Poor Penny is so scared right now she'd probably jump at the idea and that's asking a lot of equally poor Amy."

….

"Well…" Penny stood up, rising off Leonard's bed. "I think we'd better get some sleep. Let me know if…"

"Penny…You are not going to spend our wedding night on the couch…" Leonard frowned.

"I don't wanna hurt you…Tomorrow night…I'll rock your world…" she began, nervously.

"I don't need it rocked. You've already done that. I just need you with me." He patted the bed. "Studies show married people who sleep together endure illness better. You don't wanna fly in the face of Science, Mrs. H.?" smile. "Be with me, sweetheart."

"You won't croak on me…?" she eyed him, tearing.

"I promise…But if I ever do, I'd much rather do it in your arms, Penelope."

"Me, too…" she gasped. "Oh, Leonard…"

"Quite a night…" he grinned. "Lets make it perfect…Especially given what we are paying for this honeymoon suite."

"Not too perfect…" nervous glance. "Sheldon would never let me hear the end of it if I killed you. Every day he'd be at our tombstone after I jumped out that window over there. 'Penny…Penny…Penny…I have some more data on the effects of sexual excitement and asthmatic-induced heart attack that I want to show you.'"

"Very good." He grinned. "But no jumping…" stern look.

"Then no croaking…And I do what I please as to leaving this world when you... Don't leave me, Leonard." Pleading look.

"Please…I have five of the world's leading scientists and engineers to bring me back…Your real problem will be getting rid of me."

"Promise me…" she eyed him…Tears running. "I really went out on a limb for me here, you know…Marrying you and all…" she rubbed cheek.

"Nothing is going to take me away from you, Penelope, without a fight. We are gonna have a long and happy life together. Starting right now."

"Sleeping…That's all…You need your rest." Stern look. "And Sheldon would be only too happy to come back and lecture you on that, you know."

"God, yes. Thank God he got engaged tonight. We'd never get rid him out otherwise now."

He eyed her look as she paused in undressing…

"What?"

"Oh…Nothing…Just…"

"Penny, I am not having Sheldon Cooper living in our home. That's not fair to me or Amy."

"Maybe not…In the house…" she noted, casually. "It's just…He is your best friend…He needs you."

"And someone who'd help you watch me forever like a hawk. Penny, you can't sic Sheldon on me for the rest of my life. Not now, when we both may be finally about to have lives…It isn't even fair to him." grin.

"Besides…Amy's already jealous of you and Sheldon…This would drive her crazy even if she nodded and said 'great, bestie'…And I don't think she would."

"Sheldon's always gonna need us around, even with Amy…Couldn't we sorta stay close by or something, we don't wanna abandon him?" attempt at casual…

"We'll see…But Penny, you don't have to be afraid…Especially not so afraid you invite Sheldon Cooper to live with us indefinitely." Grin. "You and I will be fine. You'll take good care of me…And I will you, when your liver fails." Mock serious stare… "Seriously. Don't be scared…God knows, I don't want this to scare you."

She came over to the bed…Scoot…She waved for him to make room…And climbed in, embracing him.

"It's just…I couldn't help thinkin'…" she whispered. "I finally took the chance and grabbed the ring and now God or Fate or some evil dude out there who hates me, wants to punish me for being…Bad…Is gonna take you away."

"Not a chance…No way." He hugged her. "Cause of all the people I know in this world, you are the least 'bad' and the most deserving of having everything good in life."

"I said just sleepin' Mr. H." she frowned, sensing…

"Right, right…"

"Be a good boy tonight and when they spring you tomorrow…We'll see." She patted him. "You know, I can't believe Amy lied about all that…About not knowing Susan Stein, about knowing Sheldon so long…" she noted, cautiously. "About being jealous of me…God, Leonard…She's stalked Sheldon since she was a little girl, can you believe that?"

"Actually yeah…" he nodded. "I couldn't believe someone could just fall for Sheldon the way she did after meeting him. There was always something strange there…It actually makes more sense to me now. And it makes me feel better trusting him to her."

"You've done your job well, Hofstadter…Raised a good boy. Now the baton is passed." Grin.

"God, tell me the purpose of my life was not to see Sheldon Cooper reach some version of adulthood."

"Of course not…That was just incidental heroics." Smile. "You were put here to save me, Leonard Skywalker." She eyed him. "Thank you."

….

"All my life, up to then…" Stein eyed Amy. "At least, since I'd been saved from what would have been a nightmare existence…Had been my friends helping me. Then, at last…I had the chance to help one of my friends. At great price…" he sighed.

"Margaret was dying, Amy…Dying too young and Xav…My poor, poor friend was going insane, truly insane…If he could sacrificed the world, every human life to save her…He would have. He worked to master the entire fields of oncology and cancer genetics, chemotherapy. Even as he dived as deeply as he could into any fringe field…Cell regeneration, cloning…He'd've happily stolen a body and done a brain transplant, if that would've saved her. I did what I could to help. He even had me day and night at time travel, quite seriously though in a state bordering on dementia."

"Oh…" Amy stared…

"But in all his efforts, all seeming fruitless, he forgot the most important thing…That Margaret needed him more than a cure…She needed to be treated as a living, breathing woman, not some goal of Science, and above all not as a dying woman who must be carefully preserved and never treated simply as a woman who needed love and affection, though I don't say he didn't lavish that on her in many ways. But she needed to feel alive…Not just treasured or loved…Desired…And she desperately wanted to leave something behind of herself, a gift in part for Xan, but also for her…"

Hard stare…Amy blinking…

"I think I get where you're going with this…But you were friends with Dr. Francis when Leonard knew him…?"

"In vitro fertilization was fairly new but well established by 1984…As was the removal and implantation of fertilized embryos…" Stein noted calmly. "Thanks to Science and discreet friends at a famous hospital that shall remain nameless, Xan never needed to know. I had a girl at that time…" smile… "An actress, actually…And she agreed to be the surrogate for our child…"

"So it is true. Susan…" Amy stared. "Susan Stein is Margaret Francis' daughter…"

"Fortunately my girl looked close enough for our deception to pass…I loved them both, Amy…" Stein sighed. "Xan couldn't understand what it meant to her, he was clutching at every straw to save her and to give a child in the usual way meant stopping all drugs and putting her at serious risk. He was afraid to hold her for fear she'd slip away…He couldn't manage it."

"But you…"

"There was no way to save her then…And how could I refuse Margaret's last request? I loved her as much as I loved Xan…And this was meant to be for Xan…One day, when he'd be able to accept it. And if that day would never come…And Margaret realized that might be so…She had a right to leave something behind, even at risk of hurting Xan."

"Your friend bore Susan…" Amy looked at Stein… "But…"

"My poor Susan…Susan's birth mother…" Stein sighed. "I was no great judge of human behavior, never have been…I didn't realize how her eccentricities shaded into real mental problems…Lord knows had enough of my own. She'd seemed to happily accept the whole idea, started the pregnancy, and then, gradually, her mind darkened on the subject. She was a manic-depressive, Amy…Borderline schizophrenic by some diagnoses, though I hesitate to put such labels…You know better than I how little we really understand the human brain…She became paranoid and jealous, delusionally so. We…My medical friends and I…Were barely able to keep her from killing Susan in the womb and bringing her to term. Margaret died…" pause… "A couple of months after we'd implanted Susan…Thank God, she never knew what a terrible choice I'd made for our daughter. Susan improved slightly after birth and I married her, hoping it was just the pregnancy, the understandable strain of the circumstances. It wasn't and she regressed to the point that I had to keep her from Susan, to protect my daughter."

"I'm sorry…" Amy…

"I never stopped loving her, but I knew I couldn't take the risk of letting her harm Susan…Either physically or emotionally. And she threatened to tell Xav everything…Which at that time would have destroyed him. His own recovery from losing Margaret took years… Odd, isn't it?" he smiled at her. "I, the worst possible person for such a job, forced to become the emotional rock of everyone I cared about…All the people I had desperately clung to for my own salvation. I did divorce Susan, for little Susan's sake, though I kept in close contact and tried to do all I could for her. Xav had no idea and the one consolation I had was that he adored Susan too, and helped me bring her up, like a second father…"

"But Susan…Your ex-wife…She finally did tell him, didn't she?" Amy eyed him.

"Not for many years…She was in and out of institutions, clinics, care facilities…About the time Leonard came to Xav as a grad student…A fine one and a boy Xav saw a lot of himself in…" smile. "Susan had achieved a certain stability…She was living on her own, working in low-budget films, though I didn't know a lot was pornographic. My daughter was anxious to see her mother, naturally…She'd only met her on rare, carefully controlled occasions before...And being a teenager…A teenager who'd had a sort of love affair with a fellow who'd both thrilled her and devastated her with his resemblance to her father and her mother's slightly bitter tales of me…"

"Sheldon…" Amy gasped…

Nod…"…Susan was determined to learn more about her mother and one day, simply left, after an argument with me. I knew where she'd gone and followed but on finding she seemed to be happy with Susan and that Susan seemed not only able to provide care but was eager to know her birth daughter, even seemed to have overcome her bitterness at me…" sigh… "I did still hope, Amy…I still loved her, in a way…And if she could love Susan, perhaps in time…"

Amy staring, patted him…

"Don't get too sympathetic, Fowler…" he eyed her. "I meant what I said about you being a nemesis to me…And I warn you that I've never been above using whatever it takes to either win a girl or whatever else I want. Xav and Margaret and Susan never fully cured me of selfishness."

"It's not selfish to want the best for your daughter…And Sheldon is the best…" Amy, quietly. "But I'm not a fool, doctor and it might surprise you how carefully I am on my guard with you." Hard stare.

"Touche…" he nodded, sagely. "You are Maggie's granddaughter."

"Yes. And I've had my own delving into ruthlessness…For Sheldon's sake. Which I suppose was a mistake to tell you more about…" careful glance.

"It was…But nothing too useful." Smile.

"So?" she eyed him. "You hoped but it didn't happen, did it? She got worse again?"

"She did…After a couple of years, Susan came back…Told me nothing but I'd kept an eye on her. Her mother had become increasingly irrational, partly due to drug abuse, partly her old troubles reviving…She was finally, permanently institutionalized. And that is when she wrote to my oldest, best friend the story of how his wife and I had betrayed him, though she kept from him the truth about Susan…Simply told him we'd had an affair in Margaret's last year, with enough details to convince him. He confronted me…I foolishly tried to explain…And that was that…No proof that it was merely a scientific process, no word from my friends who assisted could convince him. We…Margaret and I, but especially I, had betrayed him. And he was determined to have his revenge. Which he did, in the way guaranteed to hurt me. And Susan…"

"He did that…" Amy stared… "He had an affair with Susan? Just to hurt you?"

"Xavier always had that air of sincerity in his charm…Susan had lost her bearings, she trusted him as my old friend… He wasn't truly terrible to her, he didn't let it go so far to…" pause. "I would have killed him for that…" grim stare… "No, he was just careful to explain to her exactly why he'd treated her as he did."

"I'm sorry…" Amy said, simply.

"Thank you." He eyed her. "You know it was my old teacher, my beloved Maggie, I turned to for advice and comfort in those years. She never failed me. If she'd been free…And not madly in love with her own little Leonard…" he smiled.

"I would've liked having you for my grandfather…" Amy nodded. "But I loved Grandpa Leonard…" pause. "Tell me…What is it between Sheldon and Susan?"

"The same as between you and the eleven-year old vision you saw back then." He calmly noted. "It's a little unbelievable the effect that odd, brilliant boy has had on women. He won my daughter's heart and never lost it…The one man who never let her down, never soiled his pure soul, her ideal and parfait knight. For no matter how many sordid films my poor Susan made, somehow believing by treating them casually and even as art, she'd vindicate her poor, sad mother as an artist, Susan believes in parfait knights…One anyway."

"I see." Amy nodded. "And you mean to give him to her. Even though she's told you to leave him to me."

"If she wants him and I can…Yes. And I know she does want him, however unselfishly she loves him." Stein, coolly. "Even if by hurting you I hurt the dearest friend I still have in this world…My old love, whom I'd die for if it could add a few years to her life."

"I see." Amy, calmly. "Well, I appreciate the honesty. But it won't happen, doctor. Ever. Frankly, I've betrayed my own sister to get Sheldon Cooper and I will never give him up. It's not just selfishness…I'm the best thing to ever happen to him and he needs me." Amy, proudly.

"I believe you. And you might well be all that. But then there's Sheldon and his pure, innocent heart." Calm stare. "A boy in spite of his odd manners really is a hero who goes where he feels he's needed…Always."

"Your daughter doesn't need him anymore…And certainly not more than I do." Amy insisted calmly. "I will not let him go."

"Then we'll just have to see, won't we, my dear." Stein nodded. "I see your friends are getting nervous." He noted Bernadette and Lucy, watching them. "And there is young Cooper and the others." Amy glancing at his nod to where a worried Sheldon was hurrying from the ER door. "Please give Dr. Hofstadter my best wishes."

"Why?" Amy, suddenly. "If you really mean to try and get Sheldon from me, for her…Why warn me?"

"I believe in a fair fight…And I wanted to see if you were as strong a woman as I suspected you'd be." He shrugged. "You have two powerful allies, Dr. Fowler. Susan, and her love for Sheldon, to some extent, being one of them. You may win. But I warn you again…I will give it my all."

"Dr. Stein?" Sheldon came to them…

"Cooper." Kindly nod. "Glad to know young Leonard is better. I'll say good night now. Dr. Fowler?" firm stare, nod. She eyeing him coolly.


End file.
